


Danganronpa: Gifted Inmates

by KawaiiGroovycat



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, F/F, F/M, Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), M/M, Murder Mystery, Not Beta Read, Original Character(s), Puzzles, Screenplay/Script Format, Super Dangan Ronpa 2 Spoilers, all of them - Freeform, including the mascot, oh btw kazuko is not at all related to mahiru
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:55:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 60,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27713030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiGroovycat/pseuds/KawaiiGroovycat
Summary: Twenty-five years after the Tragedy, the world has steadily begun to rebuild itself, including Hope's Peak Academy. This year, the 19th class has been accepted into the new academy of hope, but things quickly go awry when 15 students wake up, trapped in a strange building and forced to kill each other by a monochromatic fox, Monokitsu. They must all fight for their survival in this despairing killing game, but who will make it out of here alive?Inspired by all the fangans that have come before...History rhymes, indeed.Prologue - COMPLETEChapter 1 - COMPLETEChapter 2 - IN PROGRESSChapter 3 - NOT STARTEDChapter 4 - NOT STARTEDChapter 5 - NOT STARTEDChapter 6 - NOT STARTEDEpilogue - NOT STARTEDProgress on Next Part: 5%Discord Server: https://discord.gg/8s9nn6cXtu
Comments: 60
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue: Jailbreak, Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note: for total immersion, keep all the DR soundtracks open as you read if you want. Especially THH's, since most of the OST is from the very first game.

### PROLOGUE: JAILBREAK

##### PART 1

[OST: Beautiful Days]

_The famous American scientist and inventor George Washington Carver once said that education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom._

_In Japan, academic success is the most important thing of all. But merely getting high marks and admission into elite universities is not what will set you up for success._

_It’s admission into Hope’s Peak Academy, a prestigious school for high school students who are the very best at what they do._

_These Super High School Level students are essentially the creme de la creme, the very best that society has to offer...the very best that_ humanity _has to offer, I daresay._

_It’s said that anyone who graduates from Hope’s Peak will be set for life. Their future will be secured, and that’s not something to be taken lightly._

_At least, that’s how it used to be. After the Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History, and Junko Enoshima’s Killing School Life, Hope’s Peak was shut down._

_But five years later, the school reopened, and more than twenty years after the Tragedy, this academy continues to invite gifted individuals to reach their full potential and secure their future._

_The future is uncertain and intangible. It’s kinda funny, really. There’s so many words for something that doesn’t even exist yet._

_Futurae, framtida, futuro, avenir, mirai, zukunft, fremtid, toekomst…_

_Shit. I’ve been rambling on and on and on and I haven’t even introduced myself yet! Mi dispiace. I just have a very bad habit of going on tangents that nobody can really understand._

_Anyways, what was I talking about again? Ah yes, Hope’s Peak Academy and its exceptional students._

_And it just so happens that I am one of them, part of the 19th class of the revived academy of hope._

_My name is Yuudai Oleastro, selected to be the Super High School Level Polyglot. Name any language out there, and it’s a guarantee that I can speak, read, and write it fluently. My talent has always been a huge deal for my family. Since we’re spread out all over the world, someone has to be able to keep them connected._

_I stood in front of the school where I would spend the rest of my adolescent days._

[OST: None]

_But as I took my first step past the school gates and towards the academy, I suddenly felt a stinging sensation in my neck._

_And then, the school in front of me began to warp and blur, and I felt my soul slowly beginning to escape my body._

_Within less than a minute, the school dissipated as the ground welcomed me in a cold embrace._

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**???:** Hey, you awake yet, mister?

**???:** H-He seems to have been knocked out h-harder than the rest of us.

_I heard voices before I opened my eyes._

_When I lifted my head, I saw that I was in a classroom, sitting at a desk. Thankfully, I don’t drool in my sleep, so I didn’t have to worry about looking like an idiot on the first day of school._

**???:** You prime?

_I turned around to see the source of that voice. It was a tall, lanky guy with long orange hair that was tied back._

**Yuudai:** Huh…?

**???:** He looks pretty out of it, right, Kawaguchi?

_That voice belonged to a tall, bulky looking girl._

**Kawaguchi?:** Just g-give him a minute, Inoue-san. He just woke up.

_I took a moment to summon my strength, and then I stood up from the desk I’d been asleep on._

[OST: Beautiful Dead]

**Inoue?:** Aaaaaand the hard part’s over! Ittle all be downhill from here!

**Yuudai:** Who are you people?

**Kawaguchi?:** Inoue-san and I are both Hope’s Peak students, Class 19. I-I assume you’re also in the same class?

**Yuudai:** Yeah! I’m Yuudai Oleastro, Super High School Level Polyglot.

**Kawaguchi?:** Ah, I remember seeing your name on th-this year’s roster.

**Inoue?:** What even is a polyglot anyway? Sounds like the name of a glue brand.

**Yuudai:** My talent definitely doesn’t involve glue. To put it simply, I’m fluent in pretty much every language you can think of!

**Kawaguchi?:** That’s so cool! A-Anyways, I’m Shinobu Kawaguchi. My talent’s a bit w-weirder. I was accepted as the Super High School Level Competitive Eater.

**[SHINOBU KAWAGUCHI | SHSL COMPETITIVE EATER]**

**Inoue?:** I’ll bet I know what you’re thinking, Oleastro. You’re probably like, “Competitive Eater? But he’s so skinny!”

_...I guess?_

**Inoue?:** But that’s just a part of what makes him so talented!

**Shinobu:** It’s just because I have a super fast metabolism! I can eat a lot in very little time and not even gain a single pound!

**Yuudai:** Is that even healthy?

**Shinobu:** [Shrugs] I don’t feel sick, so I guess so?

**Inoue?:** It’s my turn now! My name’s Haruna Inoue, and unlike Kawaguchi, I actually have a normal talent.

**Shinobu:** S-Screw you, too!

**Haruna:** As I was _saying_ , I’m the Super High School Level Rock Climber!

**[HARUNA INOUE | SHSL ROCK CLIMBER]**

**Yuudai:** Oh! I know you! You free-climbed Mount Everest a few months ago!

**Haruna:** Yep! That’s what got me recognized by Hope’s Peak in the first place!

**Shinobu:** It’s nice to meet you, Olea...A-Actually, I’m probably just gonna end up butchering your name, so can I call you Yuudai?

**Yuudai:** Sure. But more importantly, do either of you know what’s going on?

**Haruna:** Kawaguchi and I met the rest of our classmates, and apparently all of us were knocked out at the entrance to the school and woke up in this classroom.

_So I really was knocked out cold. Everyone’s already met each other?!_

**Shinobu:** The windows are kinda m-messed up, too! There’s these metal bars over them for no reason!

**Yuudai:** I...I guess they really took the whole “school is like prison” thing literally.

**Haruna:** Heh, maybe. But while we’re here, we should have you go meet the others!

**Shinobu:** They’re an e-eclectic bunch, to put it lightly, but they seem like good people.

_And who knows? We might even learn more about what the hell is going on here._

_Inoue-san took me by the hand and all but dragged me out of the classroom and into the hallway, while Kawaguchi-kun kept up just behind us._

_The hallway outside of the classroom was well lit, but unlike the white fluorescent lights inside, the lights outside painted a tint of yellow across the orange walls and the green floors._

_Roaming down the hallway with seemingly no direction, no destination, was a short girl with two long braids that fell to her waist. She seemed to hear us leaving the classroom and turned around._

**???:** Heyo! [Sees Yuudai] Oh, yer awake, Mr. Bedhead!

_I reactively ran a hand through my hair. Was it really that scruffy? A part of me wanted to be offended, but it’s not like she was wrong. I guess that’s just what I get for never brushing my hair._

**Haruna:** Yeah, he just woke up a little while ago. Kawaguchi and I are introducing him to everyone!

**???:** Oooooh, introductions, ey? I’m good a’those! R-A-N-I A-B-H-I-J-I-T, Rani Abhijit, **_Super High School Level Etymologist_ ** **!** I’m from ‘Merica! Nice to meet ya!

**[RANI ABHIJIT | SHSL ETYMOLOGIST]**

**Yuudai:** Interesting. I’m Yuudai Oleastro, Super High School Level Polyglot.

**Rani:** A fellow language enthusiast?! [Wink, grin] We’re gonna get along great! Say...ya got an interestin’ name. How’d ya spell the “yu” in your name?

**Yuudai:** I use the kanji that means “manly” or “hero”.

**Rani:** Ah, cool! The “hero” kinda fits ya with that idiot hair ‘f yours, but the “manly”’s a bit I-R-O-N-I-C, not gonna lie.

_That’s the second time she’s made a comment on my hair! But I think she’s referring to my ahoge, which sticks out even when I try to finger comb it down. But what part of my name is ironic?_

**Yuudai:** Ironic? How so?

**Rani:** I mean, ya don’t really stick out as very M-A-C-H-O t’me, but ‘ey, I ain’t gonna judge.

**Yuudai:** I see...Fascinating...

_I'll admit, a part of me expected her to make a really bad joke about the way my name sounds, but I'm glad she didn't!_

**Rani:** [Awkward smile] Heh, I know m’talent’s kinda E-S-O-T-E-R-I-C, but if it means I’m guaranteed success, I ain’t gonna complain! Plus, I won’t eva’ be caught dead makin’ typos!

_From what I know, etymology is the study of the history of words. It_ is _pretty esoteric, but it’s certainly an interesting talent._

**Yuudai:** Do you have any idea what’s going on here?

**Rani:** Nope, not a clue. All I know’s that I was on m’way inside when I got jabbed in the neck and went right to sleep! Then I was in that classroom with ev’ryone else!

**Shinobu:** You think we might have been k-kidnapped?

**Rani:** [Freaking out] Ehhhhhhhh?! K-I-D-N-A-P?! I di’n’t come all this way t’Japan just’a be kidnapped!

**Haruna:** I don’t think that’s what _anyone_ here intended.

**Rani:** ...Fair. Well, I’m gonna go look ‘round. Lemme know if ya learn anythin’ else! [Leaves]

_There was a classroom close by. I figured that someone might have checked it out if everyone else was also investigating this place. Inoue-san pulled us inside._

_When the three of us entered the classroom, I noticed that it was identical to the one I’d woken up in. Inside was a muscular boy with spiky brown hair wearing a blue and white sailor uniform and another boy with dark purple hair and prominent eyebags._

**Sailor Uniform:** Ah, the fifteenth student of our class?

**Yuudai:** In the flesh.

**Sailor Uniform:** My name is Izumi Hamasaki. I am called the **_Super High School Level Sailor_ **.

**[IZUMI HAMASAKI | SHSL SAILOR]**

_I’d heard of Hamasaki-kun before. He runs a blog where he writes all about his adventures out at sea, and even posts pictures of the ocean. It became very popular when he managed to navigate the Bermuda Triangle and survive. Such a feat could only be performed by the Super High School Level Sailor himself._

**Purple Hair:** And my name is Rin Kurosawa. You might have heard of me before: **_Super High School Level Paranormalist_ ** ; does _Echoes of the Damned_ ring a bell?

**[RIN KUROSAWA | SHSL PARANORMALIST]**

_That’s the name of Rin Kurosawa’s famous blog. It’s where he posts information about various spirits and demons, and even how to summon them. I don’t have that big of an interest in paranormal things, but I think it’s cool that Kurosawa-kun has written about all sorts of paranormal creatures_ _all around the world_ _. I have nothing but respect for fellow world travelers._

**Yuudai:** It’s nice to meet you two. I’m Yuudai Oleastro, Super High School Level Polyglot. [to Rin] It _does_ ring a bell, actually. I really respect your work!

**Rin:** [Eyebrows raised] Really? You do?

**Yuudai:** Yeah! I think your globalistic perspective on the paranormal is quite amazing!

**Rin:** [Nervous smile] Wow, thanks. [Gazing down] Nobody offline has ever really shown that much admiration for what I do. Most people just think I’ve still got “eighth-grader syndrome”. [Cross] But I _don’t_ have delusions of grandeur. The things I’ve seen are completely and totally real!

**Yuudai:** I don’t doubt that.

_And I meant it, sort of. I don’t really know that ghosts and demons and the like are actually real, since I’ve never seen any for myself. Still, the world is a strange place; it’s both mystical and terrifying._

**Rin:** Anyways, I hope we can get along while we’re here.

**Izumi:** [Serious] I have heard some of our classmates speculating that this is Hope’s Peak’s idea of an orientation. However, if I may share my honest opinion… [Furrowed eyebrows] This looks to more likely be a kidnapping conspiracy.

[OST: Despair Syndrome]

**Shinobu:** [Anxious] That’s what I’ve been saying this whole time! [Fidgeting with ponytail] But who could possibly kidnap a whole class of Hope’s Peak students and get away with it?

**Haruna:** That Junko girl did it ages ago! [Thinking] But she’s dead, so...I dunno.

**Rin:** [Contemplative] You guys don’t happen to remember falling through the floor of your old school with the rest of your friends after performing a ritual you read about on the internet, do you?

**Haruna:** [Head tilt] Uhhhhhhhhh...No.

**Rin:** Thought so. This doesn’t look like Hope’s Peak to me, but it doesn’t look nearly dilapidated enough to be _too_ worryingly haunted.

**Izumi:** [Raises eyebrow] What do you mean this doesn’t look like Hope’s Peak, Kurosawa? Have you toured the school before?

**Rin:** [Sideways glance] Of course I have. Everyone knows about the Tragedy, right? After that, Hope’s Peak practically became a breeding ground for vengeful spirits. That was actually the last thing I blogged about before I came here.

**Yuudai:** And what does this have to do with us _not_ being there?

**Rin:** Basically, this place looks nothing like it. The main discrepancy is the walls. They’re the wrong color.

**Haruna:** Maybe the faculty gave this place a paint job before we got here?

**Rin:** And surely you’ve noticed the metal bars over the windows as well?

**Izumi:** [Inspecting windows] Metal bars aside, I can’t see a thing through the windows themselves.

**Yuudai:** Now _that’s_ odd.

**Izumi:** The windows look to be made from a sort of frosted glass. It’s impossible to see anything outside.

_That’s definitely suspicious. There shouldn’t be any reason to restrict our view of the outside, right?_

**Izumi:** [Contemplative] _And_ I got a quick look at the dormitory sector a while earlier, which had a sign that said it was a cell block.

**Shinobu:** [Eyes widen] OH! Yuudai, d-do you think it has anything to do with that thing you said a few minutes ago?

**[Flashback]**

**Yuudai:** I...I guess they really took the whole “school is like prison” thing literally.

**[End of flashback]**

_They say school is like prison, but I think this goes beyond any sort of simile..._

**Yuudai:** This...might actually be a real prison. Or at least, some kind of weird prison school.

**Haruna:** [Confusion] But prison’s for criminals, right? I dunno about you guys, but I’ve never broken the law!

**Shinobu:** [Biting nails] Me either! I’ve always been a law-abiding citizen my whole life!

**Rin:** I’m not so sure it’s such a big deal, though. While it may be possible that we were kidnapped, it’s also possible that this is just a strange sort of initiation ceremony.

_I guess he has a point. Hope’s Peak was never a normal school, especially in this day and age, but still! Either way, no word in any language I know could possibly describe just how goddamn weird this is, and I’m a polyglot!_

**Shinobu:** [Nervous; grabbing ponytail] The more I think about it...the scarier it sounds. I mean, being kidnapped and l-locked in a strange prison without any memory of committing a crime?! Th-that’s my worst nightmare!

**Haruna:** [Thinking] But hey, if we have food and shelter, then we don’t have to worry about anything, right?

**Izumi:** [Stern] That is never a guarantee, though. I’ve faced starvation at sea many times over the years, and I can assure you that such an experience is rather...inconvenient. If our captors wished to make us suffer, depriving us of our basic needs would be the most effective way to do so.

_I think “inconvenient” is really putting it lightly!_

**Rin:** Well, we can speculate about this all we like, but it’ll be easier to work together if we all know each other’s names, at the very least. So you should meet the others, Oleastro-kun!

**Izumi:** [Arms crossed] As scintillating as this conversation has been, Kurosawa makes a good point.

**Yuudai:** Well, in that case, it was nice meeting you two. I’m going to go meet the others and see if they know anything else.

**Izumi:** [Looking to the side] Brace yourself: some of our classmates have very... _strong_ personalities, and speaking to them might be more exhausting than it’s worth. But you appear to be the backslapping type, so you might just survive it. I wish you godspeed. Now off you go.

**Rin:** [Smile] See you around!

_Inoue-san, Kawaguchi-kun, and I exited the classroom and went back into the hallway._

[OST: Beautiful Dead]

**Yuudai:** One more classroom. Then, perhaps, we can go somewhere else? It’s honestly getting kinda repetitive, just going into classroom after classroom and talking to the strangers inside. Well, mostly the classroom part. I’m more than okay with the talking!

**Shinobu:** Sure thing, Yuudai-kun.

**Haruna:** Thankfully, it looks like there’s only one of these normie classrooms left, so we’ll be done with this trek very soon!

_We entered the classroom (1-C), and saw a blond guy with a top hat, a short girl wearing all black, and a_ very _tall girl with short, bright red hair._

**Redhead:** Oh, hello there, classmate!

**Yuudai:** Hi!

**Short Girl:** Mornin’. About fucking time.

_Oh, the woes of being a heavy sleeper._

**Top Hat:** Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! I am proud to present the magnificent **_Super High School Level Sword Swallower_ ** **,** Kenta Shimizu! It is truly an honor to meet thee.

**[KENTA SHIMIZU | SHSL SWORD SWALLOWER]**

_Shimizu-kun’s talent is certainly very...unique. He’s performed countless dangerous feats for the circus, the craziest one being sword swallowing. He manages to combine that with over-the-top acrobatics and never trigger his gag reflex even once. I’ve also read that he’s a bit grandiose, which does seem to match up with his introduction to some degree._

**Yuudai:** I’m Yuudai Oleastro, Super High School Level Polyglot. Nice to meet you, too.

**Redhead:** My name is Akane Himura. I’m the **_Super High School Level Chocolatier._ ** I look forward to getting to know you!

**[AKANE HIMURA | SHSL CHOCOLATIER]**

_For someone with hair like hers, Akane Himura is definitely a fitting name. But names aside, Himura-san is known as a pioneer in the confection universe who has created some of the most delicious novelty sweets in all of Japan, and she’s even a household name in at least twenty other countries!_

**Short Girl:** …

**Kenta:** This is the part where you introduce yourself, Mitsu!

**Mitsu?:** I know that, dumbass! Do you think I’m stupid? [Sigh] [Turns to me] Mitsuko Tachibana. **_Super High School Level Witch._ **

**[MITSUKO TACHIBANA | SHSL WITCH]**

_Mitsuko Tachibana is certainly a very interesting character. She’s a magician who performs together with Shimizu-kun. Her magic tricks are certainly very convincing, but I’m not so sure if her magic itself is actually real or not._

**Yuudai:** That’s an actual talent?!

_Her talent is probably the weirdest out of everyone I’ve met so far!_

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] You think I’m fuckin’ lying?! Well, maybe you’ll believe me when I turn you into a goddamn rat!

_Oh shit, oh fuck, I think I really pissed her off!_

**Yuudai:** A-Ah, no! You don’t have to do that! Lo siento, I really didn’t mean to offend you!

**Mitsuko:** [Snarl] Just to prove that I’m not a fucking fraud, I’ll show you what I can do. And if you still don’t believe it, then I’ll actually turn you into a rat! [Holds hands out] _Fiat lux!_

[OST: None]

_Suddenly, everything went white as the classroom lit up for a few moments, before returning to normal._

_Holy shit._

**Mitsuko:** [Smirk] Was that real or what?!

**Yuudai:** [Flabbergasted] ויאמר אלוהים: 'יהי אור'. והיה אור. וירא אלוהים את האור והיה טוב; ואלוהים חילק את האור מהחושך… _(And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light. And God saw the light, and it was good; And God divided the light from the darkness…)_

**Mitsuko:** [Sideways glance] I think I broke him, Kenta.

**Kenta:** [Cheery] Splendid! Simply splendid!

**Haruna:** [Shock] Just as awe-inspiring the second time…

**Shinobu:** [Shock; grabbing ponytail] …

_Note to self: never piss off Tachibana-san ever again. Even though she’s way shorter than me and looked unassuming when I first saw her, she’s really scary when she’s mad. Which, from what it looks like...is pretty often._

**Yuudai:** ...Wow. I’m never doubting anything ever again.

**Mitsuko:** [Smirk] HA! Damn right you won’t!

_As if today wasn’t the strangest day of my life already…_

[OST: Beautiful Dead]

**Yuudai:** Ah, I almost forgot. This is the part where I ask the obligatory question, “do any of you know what the hell is going on?”

**Akane:** Unfortunately, I do not. However, I will do my very best to find whoever is responsible for this and hold them accountable!

**Mitsuko:** [Frown] Spoken not at all like a chocolatier.

**Akane:** [Embarrassed] Heh, force of habit. I used to be the student council president at my old school, so sometimes I slip back into character!

**Yuudai:** That’s great to hear, Himura-san!

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] More like really annoying. But whatever. I don’t have a damn clue what’s going on either.

_So, even when she’s not yelling at people, she’s still unnecessarily rude. But at least Himura-san and Shimizu-kun seem nice. But that’s besides the point. It seems like these guys don’t know what’s happening either._

**Kenta:** [Thinking, smirk] Mayhaps this is all a big conspiracy by the government.

**Shinobu:** [Trembling] B-B-But, Shimizu-kun, don’t you think the police or the headmaster would be suspicious of all this?! I mean, come on, you don’t just kidnap a bunch of Hope’s Peak students and slide under the radar! _Especially_ not after what happened back then!

**Akane:** [Upright with pleasant expression] That is why I feel it’s likely that they’re already searching for us. At this point, it’s better for us to remain calm until they arrive.

**Haruna:** Yeah, for sure! Anyways, we should get going now. We’ve got places to go, people to see, you get it!

**Shinobu:** See you around!

_With that, we left the classroom. For some reason I had a vague feeling akin to being dragged around like a trophy on a leash..._

**Yuudai:** Well, uh, that was the last “normie classroom”, as you put it, Inoue-san. You guys seem to know your way around better than I do, so where to next?

**Shinobu:** [Looking ahead] Uhh, you guys, I don’t think we need to go anywhere.

_Inoue-san and I looked at where Kawaguchi-kun was looking, and we laid eyes upon a magenta-haired angel who gave us a wink and a beaming smile._

**???:** Haru-chan! Nobu-chan! Who’s your friend~?

**[MEGAMI TSUKIMA | SHSL SINGER]**

_“Tsukima-san!! Tsukima-san!!” That’s a common call you’ll hear from fans of her. Everyone, and I mean everyone, knows about her and her sweet voice! She’s an adorable, sweet girl who makes for the perfect idol...Or at least that’s what you hear from critics all around. There’s no way that you could stay angry at her for too long, though... I mean, her voice has the power to sooth anyone! She isn’t the_ **_Super High School Level Singer_ ** _for nothing! Anyways, you don’t want to miss her performances because of their top quality ratings! I never expected that I’d end up being classmates with her of all people. I mean, she’s pretty much a celebrity, despite being so young!_

**Haruna:** [Lightly bonks me on the head] Oleastrooooooo? You in there, buddy?

**Yuudai:** Huh? Oh, yeah! I guess I’m still a bit out of it, that’s all!

_Hah! If I didn’t know every language ever uttered by man, I’d probably be the Super High School Level Liar. Well, not really, but you get it._

**Megami:** [Beaming smile] I’d love to know your name, Bedhead-chan!

_We get it, my hair’s a mess._

**Yuudai:** Uhh, I-I’m Yuudai Oleastro. Super High School Level Polyglot. Nice to...to meet you, Tsukima-san!

_I didn’t normally stutter like that, but I was a little bit starstruck, so give me a break!_

**Megami:** [Smile, holding up peace sign] I’m super glad to meet you, too, Yuu-chan! I look forward to getting along with you!

_Nobody’s ever given me a nickname like that before, as far as I remember. It’s definitely a lot better than Bedhead, that’s for sure._

**Yuudai:** Likewise...So, do you know--

**Megami:** What’s going on? [Shrugs] Not a clue! But I can confirm that this place definitely has _nothing_ to do with Hope’s Peak Academy!

**Yuudai:** You’ve visited Hope’s Peak before?

**Megami:** [Wink and smile] You’re a real cutie, Yuu-chan. Of course I have! I’ve performed on that campus lots of times, and this place looks nothing like it! Hope’s Peak has never ever had such a weird prison aesthetic to it. And I don’t remember it ever opening up a branch for criminals. This place is suuuuuper suspicious!

**Yuudai:** You don’t say.

**Megami:** [Frown; furrowed eyebrows] I wish I knew why I was here, but all I know is that I have a concert coming up in a few days and I can _NOT_ afford to cancel it on such short notice!

**Shinobu:** I’m sure we’ll get out of here in a jif! I mean, you’re a celebrity, for crying out loud! The whole world is probably scouring itself just to find you!

**Megami:** [Grin] Hehee~ What a great way to think about it, Nobu-chan~!

**Haruna:** [Grin, thumb up] So I guess we really don’t have anything to worry about after all!

**Yuudai:** Now that I think about it, I’m not so sure about that.

**Haruna:** [Head tilt] Ehh? What do you mean by that, Oleastro?

**Yuudai:** [Thinking] If we were _kidnapped_ , as quite a few people here seem to think, then whoever’s responsible for bringing us here has to have quite a bit of power in order to kidnap Hope’s Peak students, especially if one of them was already a famous singer with multinational acclaim.

**Megami:** Well, when you put it like that, you make a good point, actually. [Digging through pockets] Aha! [Pulls out pepper spray] If some creepy, icky stalker tried to kidnap me, I’d just point this right at them and spray them to heck!

**Yuudai:** Which is why I think that our kidnapper can’t be just any “creepy, icky stalker”. [Sigh] But I have no clue who they could possibly be.

**Megami:** [Smile] But even so, we should stay positive! I’m sure everything’s gonna be juuuust fine! Besides, worrying too much gives you wrinkles! [Pokes my forehead] So lighten up a little!

_She then put her hands on my shoulders._

**Megami:** And your muscles will get stiff, too! And that’s very, _very_ bad for you!

**Yuudai:** Oh, I don’t doubt that for a second. But still, you can’t just expect someone not to be worried when we might have all been kidnapped!

**Megami:** Fair point, but still! Like Nobu-chan said, the whole world is probably scouring itself to find me! Which means that we’ll all be okay!

_She’s stubbornly optimistic, I’ll give her that. But maybe she has a point. Maybe I’m just overthinking all of this when it’s really no big deal._

**Yuudai:** That’s fair, I guess. I’ll try not to worry too much about this.

**Haruna:** Tsukima’s right, yanno? We can’t have you looking all wrinkly and stiff in front of the others!

_So I really am just a show horse to you…_

**Megami:** Well, I’ll just be roaming around the school. You three can continue meeting all our super cool classmates! Catch you later~!

_For being a celebrity, Tsukima-san is actually really friendly in person. A bit of an oddball, maybe, but not haughty or full of herself, like a lot of celebrities seem to be. She’s just as much of a sweetheart as she portrays herself in public._

_Inoue-san then dragged me and Kawaguchi-kun to the dining hall, where we saw a mature-looking girl with her hair tied back and a petite girl with a full white face and a black tear painted on her cheek._

**Mature-Looking Girl:** Oh, hello there. You’re the final student, I presume?

**Yuudai:** Yep, that’s me. Yuudai Oleastro, Super High School Level Polyglot.

**Mature-Looking Girl:** Pleased to meet you, Yuudai, and I’m glad to see you’re looking well. [Tired] I’m Aiko Satou, **_Super High School Level Babysitter_ **.

**[AIKO SATOU | SHSL BABYSITTER]**

_She seems a bit lethargic for a babysitter, but I guess I can understand why. Kids are great, but they can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Source: me, the older brother to eight sisters and seven brothers._

_The girl next to Satou-san was moving her hands rapidly, no, signing her introduction in JSL._

**Yuudai:** “Kazuko Koizumi. You can already guess what my talent is.” **_Super High School Level Mime_ **?

_Kazuko nodded._

**[KAZUKO KOIZUMI | SHSL MIME]**

**Kazuko:** [Smile] _Thank god there’s a Super High School Level Polyglot in this class, so at least somebody understands me._

**Aiko:** I understand you too, Kazuko-chi. My youngest brother is deaf, so I sort of have to.

_I’ve heard rumors that Kazuko has never spoken a word in her life, instead choosing to either act out what she wants to say or just sign it for other people. If that’s true, then she really is the perfect kind of person to be a Super High School Level Mime._

**Aiko:** I presume you’re going to ask me if I have any idea as to what’s going on?

**Yuudai:** [Finger guns] Yep.

**Aiko:** [Looking to the side, arms crossed] Regrettably, I don’t know. But I don’t think we should worry too much about it for the time being. [Neutral] We’re all still stressed out about being knocked out, and as such, many of us are still a fair bit confused and on edge. We should try to remain calm for now, and I’m sure this will all make sense in due time.

**Shinobu:** [Nervous, grabbing ponytail] I guess so. Just thinking about all this is giving me a headache.

**Aiko:** [Hand on forehead] Same here. And on top of that, I’m still a bit drowsy, and I still have yet to have my caffeine fix for the day.

**Kazuko:** _That’s fair, though I think the drowsiness is from passing out earlier._

**Shinobu:** What about you, Koizumi-san? Do you have any idea what’s happening right now?

**Kazuko:** [Thinking] [Shakes head]

**Yuudai:** It seems like nobody we’ve met so far has any clue what’s going on, huh...

**Haruna:** Let’s just put it out of our minds for now, at least until we’ve introduced you to the rest of our classmates!

**Shinobu:** I guess you’re right. It’d probably make this situation a lot more convenient if we all knew each other’s names, at the very least.

**Haruna:** If I remember correctly, we still have yet to meet the scholar, the fencer, and the counselor.

**Kazuko:** _I think Ueno-kun is still in the courtyard, training._

_We’ve all been kidnapped, brought to some strange prison-school, and probably had some other weird dumheter done to us, and someone is just training outside? I guess everyone deals with stress differently, but still._

**Yuudai:** I guess we’re going to the courtyard next.

_Inoue-san must have been really excited at the prospect of going outside, because she broke out into a sprint, dragging us guys by the wrist. I thought being dragged around was exhausting, but Inoue-san seemed to have limitless energy. Eventually, we reached the courtyard, and she let go of us._

_The courtyard was unfittingly beautiful for such an unsettling situation we were in. The sun was brighter than any light inside the building, and it gave the place some much needed color. I could see patches of flowers growing in the corners and along the edges of the courtyard. To one side was a bunch of equipment for strength training, and at the very back was a dried out well._

_Simple, but charming in a way._

_Training his agility off to the side was a tall young man with neck-length brown hair that covered his ears. He was dressed in fencing gear, though he wasn’t wearing a helmet. At some point, he must have seen the three of us watching him, as he stopped what he was doing and turned to us._

**???:** [Bowing] Salutations. I do not believe I have had the privilege of meeting you before.

_He was unusually formal for a high school student, but he seemed nice enough, aside from the fact that he was still holding a sabre._

**Yuudai:** Yeah, I’ve just been trying to find everyone and introduce myself. These two have been leading me around the school.

**???:** [Neutral] I see. In that case, may I have your name and talent?

**Yuudai:** Oh, right. I’m Yuudai Oleastro, Super High School Level Polyglot.

**???:** And my name is Katsu Ueno. I am called the **_Super High School Level Fencer_ **.

**[KATSU UENO | SHSL FENCER]**

_From what I’ve heard, most competitive fencers choose to specialize in one kind of weapon, be it_ _the foil, the épée, or the sabre, but Katsu Ueno is a master of them all. He’s best known for his graceful defenses and aggressive offenses, which make him a formidable opponent who’s never lost a single match. I hear he’s even being considered for the upcoming Olympics._

**Katsu:** [Extending hand to shake] It is a pleasure to meet you, Oleastro-shi.

_I shook Ueno-kun’s hand and shook it. As I expected, he has a firm grip._

**Yuudai:** L-Likewise.

_I was a bit taken aback by the way he addressed me. It wasn’t rude by any means, just a fair bit stiff, for lack of a better descriptor. (Ironic for a guy whose talent is all about words to say something like that, but I’m not about to go on another random tangent in my head about it.)_

**Haruna:** [Whispering in my ear] Ueno’s like that with everyone. It’s just a part of his gentlemanly schtick.

**Yuudai:** Huh.

**Katsu:** [Concerned] Hopefully you are not still fatigued from being knocked out earlier. [Pointing sabre at me] I say that because you were out a lot longer than the rest of us.

**Yuudai:** Uh, yeah! After being dragged around this place all day, I couldn’t possibly be tired!

**Katsu:** [Polite smile] Well, that is certainly a relief.

_It’s sweet of him to be so concerned about someone he just met, but he’s still pointing that thing at me!_

**Shinobu:** [Trembling, grabbing ponytail] Um, ah...Ueno-kun, y-you’re doing that thing again...w-with your sword…

**Katsu:** [Look of realization] Ah! Pardon me. I meant not to scare you. Though, if I may state this, this sabre is perfectly harmless.

**Yuudai:** That’s...very good to know.

**Katsu:** It is a very common misconception that fencing is a dangerous sport, when in reality, it is only as harmful as table tennis.

**Haruna:** [Grin] Even though fencing seems scary, it’s rock climbing that’s really dangerous! Especially when you’re free climbing! If you’re not focused, it’s super easy to fall to your death!

_That’s...true, I guess, but why does she sound so happy about it?_

**Haruna:** [Shrugs] But, when you’re SHSL at it, you don’t have to worry about that!

**Shinobu:** W-Wish I could relate to all this sports talk...but physical exertion isn’t really my thing.

_That second statement seemed to be pointed at Inoue-san for dragging us around the school._

**Haruna:** [Pout, hands on hips] Oh, don’t be such a baby, Kawaguchi! You don’t see Oleastro complaining about it, now do you?

**Yuudai:** Sure. I have absolutely no qualms whatsoever about being your at göster.

**Haruna:** [Head tilt] Not exactly sure what that means, but I’ll take it as a good thing!

**Shinobu:** Wh-whatever, I guess...Oh! Ueno-kun, you mentioned earlier that you remember being attacked at the entrance?

_Attacked? That’s new._

**Katsu:** [Looking upwards pensively] Indeed. I was vaguely aware of someone approaching me, but as I turned around to see who that someone was, I was injected with some kind of tranquilizer before I could see their face. [Thoughtful expression] Perhaps this is the doing of a Super High School Level Ninja?

**Yuudai:** Considering that magic is real and ghosts exist, that’s far from an implausible possibility, aš manau.

**Katsu:** [Subtle smile] I suppose it is. [Strained smile] Though whatever it may be, I do not believe it would be anything less than disturbing.

**Shinobu:** [Nervous, grabbing ponytail] I agree…

_I agree with Ueno-kun as well, but I don’t get how he could say it with a smile on his face._

**Yuudai:** Боже мой...And I thought nearly getting mauled by a chupacabra was worrying, kiel ĝi estas.

**Katsu:** [Raises eyebrow] I...beg your pardon?

**Yuudai:** It’s a long story. Maybe I can get into it later.

**Haruna:** [Wink, sticking tongue out] Yeah, that can wait! We still need to show you off to the last few classmates!

**Yuudai:** Now you admit you’re just showing me off to everybody like a prized stallion?

**Shinobu:** [Awkward chuckle] Inoue-san _does_ get a bit carried away sometimes, b-but she means well.

**Katsu:** [Smile; sweatdrop] What an interesting trio you make.

**Shinobu:** Heh, thanks? I guess?

**Haruna:** It was nice talking with you again, Ueno! We'll see you around!

_Inoue-san tugged on my sleeve, clearly indicating that she wanted to drag me off to meet the rest of our classmates._

**Katsu:** [Polite smile] Likewise.

_After this, Inoue-san and Kawaguchi-kun dragged me to the infirmary, where we came across the final two students: a tall boy with white hair and glasses, clutching a notebook, standing over a girl wearing a navy blue seifuku over a black turtleneck with her hair tied in a topknot. She was crouching in front of a cabinet, inspecting its contents._

**Tall Boy With Glasses:** [Neutral; holding notebook] Good morning. How nice of you to join us.

**Yuudai:** Hello.

**Haruna:** [Head tilt] You’re usually more talkative than this, Oleastro. What’s got your tongue?

**Shinobu:** [Shrugs] I’d say it’s probably the fact that we’ve been dragging him around the school for the past couple of hours.

**Yuudai:** [Sigh] Yeah, _probably_.

_My legs felt like they were going to fall off from all this walking. I hadn’t gotten this much exercise in ages. I’m normally more energetic than this, but Inoue-san makes me look like a sloth by comparison._

**Tall Boy With Glasses:** [Looking at notes] I think I recognize your name from the roster. I presume you’re the Super High School Level Polyglot?

**Yuudai:** [Smile] Yep! Yuudai Oleastro, en chair et en os.

**Tall Boy With Glasses:** [Writing in notebook] Splendid! Pleased to meet you.

_He didn’t sound very pleased. Actually, he didn’t sound like anything at all; his voice was noticeably calm, almost emotionless._

**Topknot:** [Turning back] [Cold expression] _Ahem._ This isn’t class, you don’t have to take notes. Besides, you haven’t even introduced yourself yet.

_The boy suddenly looked embarrassed. Well, as embarrassed as he could possibly look, since his expressions were fairly subdued._

**Tall Boy With Glasses:** Ah, pardon my rudeness! My name is Kohaku Takeuchi. I’m the **_Super High School Level Counselor._ ** If you ever need any advice or support during the school year, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

**[KOHAKU TAKEUCHI | SHSL COUNSELOR]**

_Kohaku Takeuchi has provided guidance to all sorts of individuals, and also happens to be one of the most revered figures in behavioral psychology. He’s said to have never failed a single client of his. He’s soft-spoken and not very expressive, but he seems like a perfectly pleasant guy, if a little bit too attached to that notebook of his._

**Yuudai:** Nice to meet you, Takeuchi-kun. So then, the girl beside you must be the **_Super High School Level Scholar_ **?

**Kohaku:** [Pointing pen up] Correct. Though, I’m sure she’d love to introduce herself.

_Despite his voice holding little emotion in it, he seemed to sharpen his tone a little bit at the last two words._

**Topknot:** [Blank expression] ...Hoshiko Sasaki.

**[HOSHIKO SASAKI | SHSL SCHOLAR]**

_I wasn’t actually able to find very much information about her beyond the fact that she’s had the top grades in the country as long as she’s been in school, though her research is apparently well known and revered in academia. Hoshiko Sasaki certainly seems like a very private and reserved person._

**Yuudai:** You sure are a talkative one, aren’t you?

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] Huh. I thought that was you, SHSL Polyglot.

_I hope she realized that I was being sarcastic._

**Hoshiko:** [Stands up] I finished looking through the cabinet. I can tell you everything that’s in there. Take notes, bookworm.

**Kohaku:** [Subtle smirk] Oh, so _now_ you want me to take notes? But I thought we weren’t in class.

**Hoshiko:** [Rolls eyes] Just shut up and start writing, shrink.

**Kohaku:** [Vaguely playful expression] I was only teasing you, Sasaki-san. Of course I’ll act as your scribe. [Flips page]

_They seem to get along well..._

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] Whoever brought us here was very generous with their supply of medication. They left us with _everything_ , and I mean _everything_ from Alendronate to Zopiclone.

**Kohaku:** [Writing in notebook] I see. It’s as though we are meant to stay here for a prolonged period of time.

**Hoshiko:** [Looking back into the cabinet] [Concerned] Wh-What the...there’s even--

[OST: None]

**???:** [Cartoonish voice] Ahem, mic check, mic check!

**???:** This is an announcement from the headmaster. 

**???:** Would the 19th class of Hope’s Peak Academy please make their way to the gymnasium for orientation?

**???:** This orientation is not optional, so if you fail to make it there, you will face serious consequences!

**???:** This has been an announcement from your headmaster. I expect each and every one of you to be there. Until then, byeonara~!

[OST: Despair Syndrome]

_An announcement from the headmaster? That can’t be right. Last I checked, Makoto Naegi had hit puberty decades ago. And he certainly wouldn’t say something like “byeonara”._

**Hoshiko:** [Annoyed] I suppose this is the universe telling me to shut my damn mouth. [Shrugs] Let’s just do whatever that dumb voice says.

_What was she going to say earlier?_

**Shinobu:** [Nervous; grabbing ponytail] I-I don’t like the sound of it at all...B-But I don’t think we have any choice. The “serious consequences” sound scary…

**Haruna:** [Grinning, thumb up] Oh, chill out, Kawaguchi! You can’t be _that_ terrified of the headmaster! I mean, come on! He sounds like a cartoon character!

**Kohaku:** [Contemplative] I find the contrast between your reactions quite fascinating. Kawaguchi-kun seems to be expressing his fear in a straightforward manner, while Inoue-san appears to be acting like it’s no big deal. [Neutral] Is this how you genuinely feel, or is it a defense mechanism to conceal the fact that you’re afraid, too?

**Hoshiko:** [Confusion] You just met these people and you’re already trying to pick their brains? [Arms crossed, looking away] ...I feel sorry for all your loved ones. 

**Kohaku:** [Holding pen up] Oh, I don’t mean any offense! I’m just trying to better understand everyone’s feelings about this peculiar situation so that I can help them in any way I can.

**Haruna:** Heh, you’re so sweet, Takeuchi!

**Kohaku:** [Slight smile] I try.

**Yuudai:** Umm...Do you think we should maybe go to the gym before we get in trouble?

**Shinobu:** A-Ah, yes! Let’s be on our way!

_The five of us left the infirmary and walked toward the gymnasium. Confusion, curiosity, fear, optimism...all of these emotions ran through me. But I couldn’t shake the thought that formed in the back of my head, that something was wrong, oh so very wrong. I couldn’t explain it, but I began to feel like I was about to enter purgatory. Perhaps this was just first day jitters, or perhaps it was something more._

END OF PROLOGUE: PART ONE

SURVIVING STUDENTS: 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are! Next chapter, we'll get to meet the super evil fox! Exciting! Oh, I should mention, FTEs will be a thing, so let me know if there are any characters who really interest you at this point.
> 
> There's something about actually posting something you've worked hard on that's both exhilarating and terrifying. I wonder if this is the same feeling a parent has sending their child to college. I've hesitated to post this, as I've kept revising and rewriting it over and over and over, but at some point I had to finish that and look what I've written and say to myself "this is acceptable". And I think it's a fairly decent start! And I'm excited for the journey. I hope at least one other person is, too.


	2. Prologue: Jailbreak, Part 2

##### PART 2

[OST: Despair Syndrome]

_The gymnasium was large, but felt strangely filled as we made our way inside. There were twenty chairs set out, and only fifteen of us, so as you may have expected, five of them were left empty._

_Takeuchi-kun, Tsukima-san, Himura-san, Shimizu-kun, and Tachibana-san all sat in the front row. Ueno-kun, Koizumi-san, Satou-san, Rani-san, and Kurosawa-kun sat in the next row._

_I took a seat in the middle of the third row, with Kawaguchi-kun on my right and Inoue-san on my left. And in the two back corners sat Sasaki-san and Hamasaki-kun respectively._

**Kenta:** [Contemplative] Quite a sight to behold…

**Mitsuko:** [Confused] The fuck are you babbling about this time, Kenta?

**Kenta:** The headmaster called this peculiar excursion an “orientation”, and yet, there resides not a single old soul in sight.

**Kohaku:** [Fidgeting with pen] Do you mean that it’s suspicious that there aren't any staff or even upperclassmen here?

**Kenta:** [Nods] Indeed.

**Akane:** [Worried] This situation only becomes more and more suspicious as we realize these things.

**Shinobu:** [Nervous, grabbing ponytail] A-Are we gonna d-die?!

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] I, for one, find it very obvious what we’re here for, and I’m surprised that none of you have managed to put two and two together. [Arms crossed, mildly annoyed expression] Then again, I may have expected too much from you morons.

**Mitsuko:** [Angry] The fuck did you just call us, you smug little bitch?!

**Rin:** [Sweatdrop] I’m pretty sure _that_ was a way worse insult.

**Aiko:** [Irritated] Do you think you people could maybe _not_ act like little brats at a time like this?

**Akane:** [Stern] Don’t be rude. We all need to get along at a time like this!

**Hoshiko:** [Cold] Pumpkin-head’s the only one who understands this.

**Shinobu:** [Confused] A-Are you referring to me?

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] You see anyone else here with orange hair? I didn’t think so.

**Haruna:** [Head tilt] Eh? What do you mean, Kawaguchi’s the only one who understands?

**Hoshiko:** Well, clearly this is--

**???:** Hey hey hey! Don’t spoil the big reveal before your headmaster’s even got here!

_It was that voice again. The person who called himself the headmaster._

**???:** Looks like everyone’s arrived! I couldn’t be happier!

**???:** I guess now this is my cue!

[OST: Momomomonokuma!]

_As we waited in anticipation for the headmaster to show himself, we were suddenly greeted by a black and white stuffed fox that appeared on the stage, seemingly out of nowhere._

[OST: Mr. Monokuma’s Lesson]

**Kenta:** [Dumbfounded] What is this villainy?

**Rani:** [Eyes widen, confusion] Th’ell _is_ that thing?!

**???:** [Annoyed] Excuse you, I am _not_ a thing. I am the headmaster of this academy!

**Shinobu:** [Shooketh] I-I-I-IT SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAKS!

**???:** [Angry] I am a ‘he’, not an ‘it’, good sir. As I said, I! Am! Not! A! Thing!

_It was the strangest thing I had ever seen, and I had seen a lot of crazy stuff during my travels._

_This fox thing looked like some kind of animatronic, though I’m pretty sure no restaurant that wanted to remain in business would ever use it. It was white on one side and black on the other, cute and innocent on one side, and sinister on the other._

_The white side seemed normal enough, exactly what you’d expect an arctic fox to look like. The black side, however, was a completely different story. It had a bright red eye that glared right through us, and it had a jagged smile that almost looked like it was stitched onto its face._

**???:** [Neutral] Now then, if you little troglodytes will excuse me, I shall introduce myself. I am your headmaster, Monokitsu! Konnichi-hello, everyone~!

**Hoshiko:** [Glare] Cut the crap.

**Monokitsu:** [Inquisitive] Ehhhhhhhhhhh?

**Hoshiko:** [Cold] Makoto Naegi is the headmaster, and you’re nothing like him. So tell me, who are you and what do you _really_ want with us?

**Monokitsu:** [Dejected, looking down] Kids these days are always so full of questions. They just can’t shut up and listen! But very well, if ittle make you shut your traps, I’ll tell you all the truth.

**Monokitsu:** [Wicked grin] You scummy little brats have been sentenced to LIFE IN THIS SCHOOL~!

[OST: Rise of the Ultimate]

_You know that feeling when someone tells you something serious completely out of the blue and it just...flies over your head? Like, it doesn’t even register in your brain?_ That _is exactly how I felt when he told us this._

**Katsu:** [Nervous] I...beg your pardon?

**Akane:** ...Sentenced?

**Monokitsu:** Oh, don’t worry about the semantics of that juuuust yet! You’ll have plenty of time for that later~...

**Mitsuko:** Are you gonna tell us what the fuck you want with us or what?

**Monokitsu:** Of course, of course! So...you know how Sasaki-san was berating all you guys for not guessing what was happening? I’ll give you a hint as to what it was: Tariq Ali!

**Hoshiko:** [Slight gasp] [Looking to the side, arms crossed] “History rarely repeats itself, but its echoes never go away.”

**Monokitsu:** Ding ding ding! Right on the money! Ahahahahaha! Wow, Sasaki-san, you’re sharper than Ueno-kun’s sabre! 

**Katsu:** [Raises sabre] It is not even that sharp, though.

**Akane:** [Annoyed] Quit being so vague and tell us why we’re here!

**Monokitsu:** [Paws covering mouth, giggling] Fufufufufu~...The rest of you guys are sooooooooo dense, you can’t put two and two together...but since Himura-san asked so nicely, I _guess_ I can tell you all the juicy deets~!

**Monokitsu:** This school is where you’ll be spending the rest of your life!

**Haruna:** [Eyes widen in horror] You mean we actually have to stay inside this dump?!

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] Haha, yeah, no. Fuck no. Not happening.

**Megami:** [Pout] I can’t stay here for the _rest of my life_ ! I have a huuuuge concert coming up and I can’t just _cancel_ it!

**Monokitsu:** [Inquisitive] You brats really think you have a say in the matter? How cute~. Buuuuuuuut, if you _really_ want to leave that badly, there’s an easy way to do it!

**Shinobu:** [Petrified] J-J-Just hurry up and tell us where the e-exit is!

**Mitsuko:** [Furious] And quit messing with us before I claw your throat out!

**Monokitsu:** [Lewd smile] That murderous passion… Oh, my darling Tachibana-san, you’re a girl after my own heart!

**Mitsuko:** [Grimace; face turning green] ...Blegh!

**Hoshiko:** [Annoyed] Just make like a pencil and get to the fucking point, Monokitsu.

**Monokitsu:** [Wicked grin] HAH! You’re funny, Sasaki-san! This is why you’re my favorite student!

**Hoshiko:** [Sigh] What an honor.

**Monokitsu:** You bet it is!

**Yuudai:** On top of telling us how to get out of here, you also have a lot more to explain to us.

**Monokitsu:** Oh~? And whatever may that be?

**Yuudai:** Don’t be coy. _Where_ the hell are we in the first place?

**Monokitsu:** Patience, Yuudai-kun! I’ll get to that as soon as I explain _what_ you’re doing here!

**Monokitsu:** As I was about to say, to be released from this prison you call school, you must... _drumroll_ …

_Inoue-san_ actually _drumrolled. Wow._

**Monokitsu:** ...get away with murder!

[OST: Mr. Monokuma’s Tutoring] 

**Shinobu:** [Petrified] M-MURDER?!

**Mitsuko:** [Shock] What the fuck?!

**Monokitsu:** You heard me right, kiddos, to be released, you just gotta kill one of your classmates and get away with it! That’s it! Fufufu... It doesn’t even matter how you do it! Stabbing, crushing, poisoning, bludgeoning, strangulation, asphyxiation, do it however ya want!

**Kohaku:** [Pointing pen up] And just so everyone is on the same page, you’re referring to literally committing a murder?

**Monokitsu:** [Giggling, paw covering mouth] Yeppers! Literally the most literal killings you could possibly have here!

_Are you fucking kidding me?!_

**Yuudai:** Do you really think we’re just going to kill each other just because you told us to?!

**Monokitsu:** [Dismissive] Oh, come on, it’s not going to be _just_ because I told you to! I’m not gonna force you to kill someone! Don’t forget, you always have the option of living here for the rest of your life!

**Monokitsu:** [Inquisitive] Though if you think about it, _you_ make the perfect first victim! [Cackling] I mean, it’s literally in your name: Yuudai! YOU-DIE! Ha! Get it?!

**Yuudai:** ...That’s a low blow, even for you.

**Rani:** [Scowl] Yeah, even _I_ didn’t make a joke like that, and I’m ‘Merican! It woulda been expected, and easier f’me ta do that!

**Monokitsu:** [Sweatdrop] Yeesh! You guys are soooooo uptight! You can’t even take a joke?!

**Akane:** [Serious expression] I’m just going to change the topic to something we’ve all been wondering: where are we, exactly? Because it’s been made pretty clear that this is _not_ Hope’s Peak Academy.

**Monokitsu:** [Neutral] I’m glad you asked! You kids are in a place very few have ever stepped foot in...the Monokitsu Reformatory Academy!

**Yuudai:** ...Reformatory?

**Monokitsu:** [Head tilt] Something wrong with what I said? Must I say it in another language so you can understand it?

**Yuudai:** Not at all. It’s just that...a reformatory is where you’d send a juvenile delinquent. Surely you can’t…

_It would explain the weird prison-school aesthetic, but I don’t remember ever breaking the law..._

**Monokitsu:** Fufufufufu~…

**Rani:** [Angry] An’ even if we really _are_ crim’nals? Ya got nothin’ on us! ‘Specially not me! I haven’ done shit ‘n this country!

**Monokitsu:** [Back turned] It’s only the prologue, and you lot are already trying to solve all the mysteries like little amateur detectives~...How cutely ironic.

_Prologue? Cutely ironic?_

**Monokitsu:** [Neutral] Don’t worry your pretty little heads about all the things you don’t know. Questions only get answered once you suffer enough to earn the answers. So just relax and get used to your new daily life!

_Suddenly, Tachibana-san stood up on her chair._

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] I don’t want to live here for the rest of my life! I want out!

**Monokitsu:** [Wicked grin] Then kill someone! Easy peasy!

**Mitsuko:** [Snarling] Fuck you! This stupid killing game can kiss my ass! [holding hands out] _IN INFERNIS ARDERET_!

_Suddenly, the floor beneath Monokitsu burst into flames, but the animatronic fox jumped out of the way before he could catch on fire. With a wave of his paw, he snuffed out the flames._

**Monokitsu:** [Cackling] Fufufufufu~...Rule #2: Violence against Monokitsu is strictly prohibited!

**Mitsuko:** [Snarling] Fuck your rules! This game’s a load of bullshit!

**Monokitsu:** [Smug expression] Are you sure you want to call bullshit on this whole game~? ‘Cuz I have magic, too~!

**Monokitsu:** Come forth, my mighty blades! Be my claws and lend me your strength!

_Suddenly, a sea of razor sharp blades rained down from the ceiling, aimed straight at Tachibana-san!_

_For a split second, it looked like the gymnasium was about to be painted pink, and it certainly would’ve, if not for a grand intervention…_

**Kenta:** MITSU!

_Shimizu-kun leapt to shield Tachibana-san’s body, knocking her from her seat to the ground. Takeuchi-kun, Himura-san, and Tsukima-san retreated to the back row to avoid the spears. And then, a small splash of pink started to form._

_For a moment, I thought that Shimizu-kun was dead, but after a few moments, he stood up, very much alive, with only a few long cuts on his arms._

**Kenta:** [Worried] You’re not hurt, are you, Mitsu?

**Mitsuko:** [Dumbfounded] O-Oh god...Kenta, you dumbass, you’re--

**Kenta:** [Beaming grin] Perfectly fine! Those blades did naught but graze my existence! [Turns to Monokitsu] It will take more than that to snuff out my magnificent self!

**Monokitsu:** [Sparkling eyes] Wow...what a heroic save! Just like in the movies!

_That was too close...It seems like Monokitsu really is serious about wanting us to murder each other._

**Megami:** [Shaking] So then...you weren’t kidding about this killing game…

**Monokitsu:** [Inquisitive] Of course not! I’d never joke about something so serious!

**Aiko:** [Concerned] I’ll go get some bandages from the infirmary!

**Monokitsu:** Wait up! Before you do that, let me just say...you got real lucky today, madam witch! It just so happens that I’m feeling nice today, so I’ll let you off the hook since you didn’t know about the rule! Which reminds me, I still need to distribute your e-Handbooks!

**Monokitsu:** These will explain everything you need to know about the game! Make sure you read it carefully because if you break any of the rules, you will be severely punished!

_Monokitsu snapped his fingers and seemingly out of nowhere, a tablet appeared in each of our hands. After Monokitsu distributed our e-Handbooks, Satou-san immediately rushed to the infirmary._

[OST: Rise of the Ultimate]

_I pressed a button on the side and it switched on, displaying my name, my talent, and the current time: 6:30PM. Wow, I didn’t think that much time had passed since I woke up._

_I noticed that it consisted of five main sections: Students, Rules, Map, Motive, and Truth Bullets. The last two struck me as odd, so I tapped those tabs to see what they could contain. But alas, both were blank, and for good reason. Those two tabs would only be relevant if there was a murder. I then looked at the Rules tab, where all of the rules were explained in detail._

_1\. Nighttime will take place from 10:00PM to 7:00AM. Certain restrictions will apply during this time._

_2\. Violence against the headmaster Monokitsu is strictly prohibited._

_3\. Deliberate destruction of school property, except with the intention of murder, is strictly prohibited._

_4\. Lending your e-Handbook to another student is strictly prohibited._

_5\. With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore the school at your discretion._

_6\. A student who kills a classmate is known as the “blackened”, and must not let the “spotless” students discover their identity if they wish to graduate._

_7\. When three or more students discover a body, the Body Discovery Announcement will play to let all students know that a murder has taken place._

_8\. The headmaster is not allowed to directly interfere with a murder._

_9\. The game shall go on until there are no longer enough people to hold a class trial (at least three spotless). At that point, the killing game will end, and the surviving students shall be released._

_10\. Monokitsu may add, remove, and revise any rules at any given time during the game._

**Aiko:** I’m back!

_Satou-san appeared at the entrance to the gymnasium holding a roll of bandages and some antiseptic. She immediately ran over to where Shimizu-kun was standing and began to treat his wounds._

**Kenta:** [Beaming smile] Splendid work, Satou-san! Truly befitting of the SHSL Babysitter!

**Aiko:** [Shrug] I do what I must.

_At least one of us was able to be chipper at a time like this._

_I read and reread the rules, each time further cementing just how real this killing game was. We could no longer pretend that this wasn’t a real and pressing situation on our hands. As much as we might have wanted to brush this off as a prank, we all knew at this point that this was no joke._

**Mitsuko:** [Petrified] This is...

**Hoshiko:** [Glare] Unbelievable.

**Shinobu:** [wraps arms around self nervously] W-Well, we don’t have to worry about this too much, right? Nobody’s actually gonna...kill...anyone!

**Kohaku:** [Twirls pen with curious expression] What exactly does this “class trial” entail?

**Monokitsu:** [Wicked grin] I’m glad you asked! After a murder occurs, we hold a class trial to determine who the killer is! All you spotless kiddos have to single out the blackened! You all will be the defendants, the defense, the prosecution, the judge, the jury, everything all at once~!

**Izumi:** [Arms crossed] And then what happens?

**Monokitsu:** [Turns to primarily show white side] Well, if you can figure out who the murderer is, then they’ll be punished, and you all get to live another day in this cozy abode!

**Megami:** [Nervous] A-and what if we can’t figure it out?

**Monokitsu:** [Turns to primarily show black side] Then everyone else gets punished and the killer gets to go home free!

**Yuudai:** And...By punishment...you mean…?

**Monokitsu:** [Wicked grin] EXECUTION!

**Yuudai:** ...C-Come again?

**Monokitsu:** [Giggling] Fufufufufu~...You’ll get the privilege of experiencing a glorious, brutal, once-in-a-lifetime execution!

_My stomach lurched when he said that, and my fingers grew cold and shaky. He couldn’t be telling the truth, right? There’s no way he can just execute us!_

**Shinobu:** [Terrorized] E-E-EXECUTION?!

**Monokitsu:** [Inquisitive] Yes, that _is_ what I said, is it not?

**Rin:** [Dark expression] You can’t be serious…!

**Monokitsu:** Didn’t I just prove that I’m serious? Or do you want me to give you a little slicey-dicey just to make triple sure~?

**Rin:** [Panicked] NO! No...You don’t have to do anything like that...We all understand...

**Monokitsu:** Fufufu~...And don’t you forget it! With all that said and done, it’s hunting season, and foxes like me shouldn’t be out in the open. Do with this information what you will, and get slaughtering! Byeonara, bastards~!

_He disappeared, leaving us all to stew in our own fear._

[OST: Weekly Despair Magazine]

**Akane:** [Serious expression] We’re not gonna listen to that toy and do what he tells us! Nobody’s going to die here!

**Haruna:** [Grin] Yeah! ‘Cuz nobody wants to get executed, right?

_That much was true, without a doubt, but I couldn’t help but wonder if any of us were willing to kill to get out of here, even if it means we could get brutally executed._

**Megami:** [Terrified] I can’t die here!

**Yuudai:** Dios mio…

**Rani:** [Angry] This’s jus’ R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S!

**Rin:** [Dark expression; terror] Even if someone _does_ kill, we’re not detectives! How the hell are we gonna catch the killer?!

**Shinobu:** [Grabbing ponytail] D-don’t talk about k-killing like it’s gonna happen! We’re _not_ going to k-kill each other!

**Kazuko:** [Nervous] [Clinging to Aiko]

_Nobody wants to get executed, so nobody’s going to kill anyone. That’s what I kept telling myself. But even I began to worry about who might take the risk._

_I’m not very strong or athletic, so I’d make the perfect victim. Quite a few of these people could easily kill me._

_No, you can’t think like that, Yuudai. Monokitsu’s the enemy, not your classmates._

[OST: None]

**Akane:** [Stern; pointing finger] Everyone, settle down!

[OST: Nightmare in Locker]

_Himura-san didn’t shout at the top of her lungs, but her voice still reverberated through the gymnasium and caught everyone’s attention. She stood on her seat, towering far above the rest of us._

**Akane:** [Hands clenched; stern expression] It’s not going to do us any good if we just wallow in our fear and let ourselves become paranoid. We need to stick together and work as a group to find a way to escape _without_ killing each other. [Determined] I know we’ll make it out of here if we just keep our wits about us and trust each other.

_Himura-san showed no signs of fear, and as she made her speech, the rest of us were able to calm our nerves at least a little bit. Her confidence is exactly what we needed in a situation like this!_

**Akane:** [Thinking] The rules say that we’re allowed to explore the school at our own discretion, so we’re going to be in for a _lot_ of investigation. We’ll need to report our findings to each other frequently. [Looking down at PDA] [Softer expression] Is everyone okay with meeting in the dining hall every morning and every evening?

**Kohaku:** [Pointing pen up] I think that’s a great plan. We’ll not only be able to report the results of our investigations, but we’ll also be at peace, knowing that we’re all alive and well.

**Akane:** [Contented smile] That’s exactly my idea, Takeuchi-kun. [Looking down at PDA] [resting index finger on cheek; thoughtful expression] It’s been a long day, so for now we’ll figure out our dormitory situation and then sleep. We can meet up tomorrow morning and then begin our searching.

**Megami:** [Sweatdrop] Um, about the dormitory situation, Aka-chan...we have an issue.

**Akane:** [Head tilt] What’s the issue, Tsukima-san?

**Megami:** There’s 15 of us, but on the map it only shows that there’s only 8 rooms! So that means that most of us will have to share a room.

**Haruna:** [Hands on hips] Well, I’m definitely not sharing a room with a boy! We should keep the boys and the girls separate!

**Hoshiko:** [Arms crossed] I dunno, Jumpy. If your issue is what I think it is, it’s not really something we’ll have to worry about. I bet at least half of the boys here would rather do each other than any of us. [Looking up pensively] Actually, I think it’s the same for the girls, too.

**Megami:** Well, the dorms are already separated by gender. The boys’ rooms are on one end and the girls’ rooms are on the other, and there’s four rooms on each side.

**Akane:** [Smile] Well, I for one, think sharing rooms is a wonderful idea! Not only will we be able to protect ourselves from being murdered, but we’ll also get to know each other better.

**Kenta:** [Confident smirk] I have faith that I will survive. My magnificence can never be slain!

**Katsu:** [Neutral] However, that is not something to worry about, because I do not believe anybody here would ever stoop to murder.

**Yuudai:** Y-Yeah! We won’t kill each other! We’re better than that!

[OST: None]

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] Are you sure about that, Oleastro?

[OST: Weekly Despair Magazine]

**Yuudai:** Eh? What are you talking about, Sasaki-san?

**Hoshiko:** Are you sure nobody’s going to commit a murder?

**Yuudai:** Yeah, why would anyone go so far as to do that?!

**Hoshiko:** [Condescending stare] Your naivete would be adorable under different circumstances. 

**Hoshiko:** [Looking to the side, arms crossed] But not everyone thinks the same way as you. We may think we can live our school lives peacefully, but some of us have families in the outside world, homes to return to, [glancing at Megami] careers. I can guarantee that the thought has already crossed most people’s minds. Hell, I daresay that someone might even have a target in mind already.

**Hoshiko:** We need to keep our guards up. You never know what might happen.

_Why would Sasaki-san say stuff like that? Does she really think someone is actually going to kill someone here? Is_ she _going to kill someone?_

**Akane:** [stern expression] Sasaki-san, don’t start stirring up paranoia after I just told you how we’re going to handle this situation! There will be no murders in this school on my watch, and if anyone here is thinking about killing to escape… [Dark glare; hands clenched into fists] You’re going to think twice.

_Himura-san’s shift to such an intense tone was sudden, and quite intimidating. If I were planning to commit murder, I sure wouldn’t try to at this point._

_I guess I should add Himura-san to the list of people not to piss off while I’m here._

**Hoshiko:** [Arms crossed; looking away] Alright, fine; I’ll keep my mouth shut. But don’t say I didn’t warn you of the possibility.

**Akane:** [Sigh] Yes yes, of course, Sasaki-san.

**Kazuko:** [Frown] _Well, now that I think about it, wouldn’t it be better if we just figure out who kidnapped us?_ [Eyes lighting up] _Then we can take them out and escape!_

**Rin:** [Thinking] If we’re talking about possible masterminds…[Pointing at Hoshiko] Sasaki-san is really suspicious.

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] Huh?

**Rin:** You seemed to know more about this situation than the rest of us. I wonder why that could be…

**Hoshiko:** [Dismissive expression] I’m a scholar, genius, and a Super High School Level one, at that. Of course I know what the hell this was. It’s not my fault the rest of you were too stupid to figure it out on your own.

**Shinobu:** [Accusatory] Th-That’s exactly what that fox thing said! Just admit it, y-you’re in cahoots with that thing!

**Hoshiko:** [Irritated] I don’t give a shit what Monokitsu says. It doesn’t mean _I’m_ the mastermind. And even if I was, why the hell would I be _here_ in the first place? Don’t you think the mastermind is way more likely to be whoever’s controlling Monokitsu?

**Aiko:** [Contemplative] Fair point, but we can’t know for sure.

**Rin:** [Matter-of-factly] That means it’s still possible for you to have set this up.

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] I knew it! I knew that bitch was a demon in sheep’s clothing!

**Hoshiko:** [Sneer] You’re an actual, literal witch. You don’t _get_ to call me a demon.

**Mitsuko:** [Growling] Oh, fuck you! I can call you whatever I want!

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] I… [Sigh] [Deadpan] I hope your death is slow and painful.

**Mitsuko:** Y-You…!

_It looked like Tachibana-san was going to attack Sasaki-san, but she was stopped when Shimizu-kun put his hand on hers._

**Kenta:** [Strained smile] Mitsu darling, please...don’t.

**Mitsuko:** [Strained expression] Hnnnnnnnngh… [Scowl] Ugh, fine! Whatever...

**Hoshiko:** [Cold] Either way, screw you. I’m not the mastermind. In fact, you shouldn’t even suspect me! Because Takeuchi seems way more suspicious!

**Kohaku:** [Confused] What did I do?

**Hoshiko:** [Glare] You’ve been psychoanalyzing people left and right, and writing down every little detail in that notebook of yours, almost as if this is just a social experiment to you. I wouldn’t be too shocked if it turned out that you set this up just to get some sick sense of enjoyment from it.

**Kohaku:** [Deadpan stare] I don’t enjoy any of this. How dare you.

**Akane:** [Annoyed] Oh my god! Did you not hear what I said literally ten minutes ago?! [Exasperated] Do not! Stir up! Paranoia! That’s just what Monokitsu wants! 

**Akane:** [Stern] We’re going to be just fine. We can speculate about the mastermind later, but right now, we don’t know anything about our situation, so we’re all in the same boat! That means that we need to work together to find the mastermind!

**Rin:** [Thinking] Fair enough. I actually think it’s more likely that this is the work of a vengeful demon.

**Kazuko:** [Dejected, looking down at the floor] _I’m sorry! This is all my fault, isn’t it? Because I’m the one who brought up the idea of the mastermind in the first place…_

**Aiko:** [Smile, patting Kazuko on the head] No need to be sorry, Kazuko-chi. You made a good point. It’s just that we don’t really know how to find them right now, and that’s why we got into an argument.

**Akane:** [Stern expression] Look, I understand how easy it is to accuse everyone around you and not trust anyone, but we need to keep our spirits up in order to get out of here together.

_Nobody had anything to say in objection to that. Honestly, I was just glad that at least someone took charge. As scary as this situation is, the fact that Himura-san seemed to have her shit together made me a lot more hopeful about escaping._

[OST: Beautiful Dead]

**Akane:** [Softer expression] Now then, let’s figure out our rooming arrangements and get some rest. Today’s been a long and draining day, and we’ll need all the energy we can muster if we’re going to try and escape.

**Izumi:** [Dispassionate expression] For the record, I am alright with staying in a room alone.

**Akane:** [Head tilt] Are you sure about that, Hamasaki-kun? That might not be the safest option for you.

**Izumi:** [Neutral expression] I can hold my own in a fight, if that’s what you’re worried about. [Arms crossed] Besides, I value my moments of solitude, which will most definitely be a lot harder to come by in here.

**Yuudai:** I guess that solves the issue of the odd one out.

**Katsu:** [Slight smile] Now both the boys and the girls have an even number of people to assign to dorms.

_We discussed who would room with who, and in the end, this is what we came up with:_

_Boys’ Wing_

_Room 1: Kenta Shimizu and Shinobu Kawaguchi_

_Room 2: Yuudai Oleastro and Katsu Ueno_

_Room 3: Rin Kurosawa and Kohaku Takeuchi_

_Room 4: Izumi Hamasaki_

_Girls’ Wing_

_Room 1: Akane Himura and Haruna Inoue_

_Room 2: Megami Tsukima and Hoshiko Sasaki_

_Room 3: Aiko Satou and Kazuko Koizumi_

_Room 4: Rani Abhijit and Mitsuko Tachibana_

_I was paired up with the Super High School Level Fencer. He seemed nice enough when he’d introduced himself, and I wanted to believe that his personality was genuine. We all went to our designated dorm rooms. I made my way over to Room 2, where Katsu Ueno and I would be staying. When I arrived, Ueno-kun was already there._

**Katsu:** [Smile] Ah, Oleastro-shi. I look forward to getting along with you for the foreseeable future.

**Yuudai:** Yeah, me too.

_Ueno-kun then opened the door to our room._

_Um, he_ tried _to open the door._

[OST: Mr. Monokuma’s Lesson]

**Monokitsu:** Hold it, hold it, _hold it right there_!

**Yuudai:** What is it this time?

**Monokitsu:** [Scowling] Hey now, _I_ wasn’t the one who just tried to open a locked door! And as fun as it would be to watch you guys make complete asses of yourselves, I figured I’d do the kind thing and give you your room keys!

_He pulled out two identical blue keys with the Roman numeral_ _II_ _engraved on the handles and handed one to each of us._

**Monokitsu:** [Grin] Here ya go! Now you guys can be cozy _and_ protect yourselves from anyone who might wanna kill you in your sleep!

**Yuudai:** [Deadpan] Thanks, Monokitsu, very cool.

**Monokitsu:** You’rrrrrrrrre welcome~!

_He finally had the decency to fuck off, leaving the two of us alone._

[OST: Despair Syndrome]

_Ueno-kun put his key in the lock on the doorknob and then successfully opened the door to our room._

_Our room was a small place. Not dingy, but not exactly the homeliest place either. Just a bed on either side of the room with a small table by each bedside and a bathroom door between them._

**Katsu:** [Pleasant expression] I suppose it could be a lot worse, right, Oleastro-shi?

**Yuudai:** Yeah, I guess.

**Katsu:** [Pleasant expression] I hope you’ll be able to sleep in such uncertain times. And in case you might be worried about me killing you in here, let me reassure you that I would not attempt to do so. Even if I was interested in taking Monokitsu up on his offer, it would be far too obvious that I was the culprit if I actually did.

**Yuudai:** Right…

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

_I felt fatigue slowly overpower me, and I curled up in my bed._

_My throat felt tight as the back of my mind buzzed with anxiety. Nothing made any sense. How the hell did we get trapped in this weird prison? And would anyone really try to risk their lives to get out of here? Was I going to die?_

_I shook my head before I could start thinking of the worst-case scenario. I needed to keep Himura-san’s words in mind: we can’t let ourselves become paranoid. We need to keep our wits about us if we want to find an escape._

_And I’m sure this is all going to be resolved soon. Hell, if I’m lucky, this might even turn out to be just some ominous fever dream. We’re all going to be alright...right…?_

[OST: None]

**_DING DONG DING DONG_ **

**Monokitsu (voice):** Attention, students of Class 19! This is an announcement from your headmaster!

**Monokitsu (voice):** It is now 10PM, and as such, nighttime has officially begun!

**Monokitsu (voice):** Soon, certain restrictions will be placed on parts of the school.

**Monokitsu (voice):** Sweet dreams, everyone, and get ready for a despairingly beautiful day tomorrow!

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

_If it wasn’t for the rule against destruction of school property, I would have thrown something at the speaker the moment I woke up to that damn voice. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to cry or scream. Probably both._

_It was 10PM. That means I’d slept for about 3 hours. It felt like I’d just blinked and that time had passed. It was strange. I’d expected to be totally restless in a situation like this, but instead, I felt like I’d be able to sleep for the rest of my life if those announcements didn’t exist._

_I kept hoping that this would be some weird nightmare, but seeing Ueno-kun in the bed across the room reminded me of where we were. And Monokitsu’s voice kept ringing in my head, making me more and more sure that this was all real. We really are all going to die here, aren’t we?_

_I don’t know any of these people, and I can’t say that I trust them, with the exception of Ueno-kun. Even then, that was only because he’d have to be stupid to try to get away with killing his own roommate. So, I really couldn’t tell if any of these people were capable of murder._

_I remembered what Sasaki-san had said earlier: “We need to keep our guards up. You never know what could happen.” And as much as I didn’t want to believe it, she had a point._

_Putain! I think I’m becoming paranoid._

_My brain really needs to shut up. We’re all victims here. And nobody wants to risk being executed, so killing someone in this situation would be stupid. We’ll all be fine. Nobody here has to die._

_That’s what I told myself as I fell back asleep._

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MONOKITSU THEATER

**Monokitsu:** Stories like these are just so dime-a-dozen. 

**Monokitsu:** It’s like that one game where a psychotic teddy bear tells you to kill each other.

**Monokitsu:** Everyone _says_ that they’re gonna believe in each other, and nobody’s gonna die!

**Monokitsu:** But then two days later, BAM! Someone goes ham and paints the school pink!

**Monokitsu:** Though...that bear was onto something, methinks. But yanno what?

**Monokitsu:** Anything that a bear can do, a fox can do better!

**Monokitsu:** Foxes symbolize mischief, opportunity, and playfulness!

**Monokitsu:** So it’s a given that this is gonna be so much fun!

**Monokitsu:** Fufufufufu~…Foxes are just cool like that!

**Monokitsu:** All the dimes in the world couldn’t buy the special pleasure of watching these humans turning against each other and spilling their blood! Ahahahahaha!

END OF PROLOGUE: PART TWO

SURVIVING STUDENTS: 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the prologue is officially complete! Soon, the real fun will begin.
> 
> The next update will be the student "report cards" (information about the characters), and then the update after that will be the beginning of Chapter 1 Daily Life. This is just so that I have time to finish writing all of Daily Life and then start writing out the investigation + trial, as those two segments take quite a while. This also means that you'll have time to suggest characters for Free Time, if you're interested.
> 
> Speaking of Free Time, there will be six Free Time slots for Chapter 1, and one slot is currently filled. So feel free to make suggestions, but don't feel pressured to. There will still be plenty of time to do so for this chapter.


	3. Cast Report Cards

Yuudai Oleastro 

**Height:** 5’6” (167.64 cm) **Weight:** 130 lbs (58.967 kg) **Chest:** 33 in. (83.82 cm)

 **Birthday:** August 19th

 **Likes:** Campari, Magical girl anime, Travelling

 **Dislikes:** Hairbrushes

 **Talent:** SHSL Polyglot

 **Eye Color:** Amber

 **Physical Description:** Yuudai’s most prominent feature is his neck-length silver hair, which he never brushes. As a result, he always looks like he has a perpetual bedhead, with a cowlick sticking from the top of his head. He wears a simple orange button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to just below the elbows. He also wears gray pants and simple black sneakers.

 **Personality:** The protagonist of this story. An extroverted young man who really likes talking to people. He tries to be optimistic, but he’s prone to thinking the worst about the killing game while also trying not to think the worst, which ironically leads him to overthink. He’s prone to slipping into other languages as he’s talking, which is a habit he can’t control. He also has an amazing auditory memory, never forgetting anything he hears.

 **Name Etymology:** 雄大 (Yuudai): from 雄 _(_ yū _)_ meaning "hero, manly" and 大 _(_ dai _)_ meaning "big, great, vast". Oleastro means “wild olive” in Spanish.

Haruna Inoue 

**Height:** 5’9” (175.26 cm) **Weight:** 167 lbs (75.75 kg) **Chest:** 34 in. (86.36 cm)

 **Birthday:** July 20th

 **Likes:** Mountains, Rocks

 **Dislikes:** Buildings, Studying

 **Talent:** SHSL Rock Climber

 **Eye Color:** Dark Green

 **Physical Description:** Haruna is tall and very muscular. She wears a camouflage vest over a simple white t-shirt, as well as loose brown pants and tight shoes made for climbing. Her light brown hair is tied back in a tight ponytail that goes down just past her shoulders.

 **Personality:** Haruna’s a very friendly and energetic girl. She hates staying indoors and can’t seem to stay still. And because she likes moving quickly, this very often translates into her dragging along whoever is with her, with little regard for them. Despite this, she means well, and is upset by the idea that she might be annoying. 

**Name Etymology:** 井上 (Inoue): means "above the well", from 井 _(_ i _)_ meaning "well, mine shaft, pit" and 上 _(_ ue _)_ meaning "above, top, upper". 遥菜 (Haruna): 遥 _(_ haru _)_ meaning "distant, remote" combined with 菜 _(_ na _)_ meaning "vegetables, greens"

Shinobu Kawaguchi 

**Height:** 5’7” (170 cm) **Weight:** 117 lbs (53.1 kg) **Chest:** 31 in. (78.74 cm)

 **Birthday:** October 1st

 **Likes:** Food, Rain

 **Dislikes:** Conspiracies, Physical exercise

 **Talent:** SHSL Competitive Eater

 **Eye Color:** Black

 **Physical Description:** Shinobu is of above-average height and is very thin. His long orange hair is tied back, and he dresses very simply, in just a red t-shirt, jeans, and green sneakers.

 **Personality:** Shinobu’s a fair bit skittish, and easily frightened, with a tendency to freak out in scary situations. He’s quick to latch onto stronger, more confident people, but he’s also very quick to accuse other people of conspiring against the group.

 **Name Etymology:** 忍 (shinobu) means "endurance"; 川口 (Kawaguchi): from 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 口 (kuchi) meaning "mouth, entrance"

Rani Abhijit 

**Height:** 4’11” (149.86 cm) **Weight:** 97 lbs (44 kg) **Chest:** 29 in. (73.66 cm)

 **Birthday:** March 4th

 **Likes:** Talking, Crime Shows

 **Dislikes:** Blood, Math

 **Talent:** SHSL Etymologist

 **Eye Color:** Dark Brown

 **Physical Description:** Rani’s a short girl with waist-length black hair that’s tied in two braids. She wears a simple white blouse, black dress pants, and black ballet flats. She also carries around a pair of red-framed glasses, but rarely ever wears them.

 **Personality:** Rani’s a friendly girl with the speech quirk of spelling out certain words in English instead of saying them. She usually refers to people with just their first name, with no honorifics. However, if someone manages to piss her off, she’ll give them an honorific just to mock them.

 **Name Etymology:** Rani means "queen" in Sanskrit; Abhijit means “victorious”.

Izumi Hamasaki 

**Height:** 5’11” (180.34 cm) **Weight:** 150 lbs (68 kg) **Chest:** 35 in. (88.9 cm)

 **Birthday:** February 28th

 **Likes:** The ocean, Salty foods, Solitude

 **Dislikes:** Large gatherings, Fire

 **Talent:** SHSL Sailor

 **Eye Color:** Blue

 **Physical Description:** Izumi is a tall and muscular young man who wears a white and blue sailor uniform with a small hat atop his spiky brown hair.

 **Personality:** Izumi is fairly reclusive, and he prefers to keep to himself. He doesn’t really stand out that much against the others’ stronger personalities, and doesn’t seem to be too fond of people in general.

 **Name Etymology:** 泉 (Izumi) means "fountain, spring"; 浜崎 (Hamasaki): from 浜 (hama) meaning "beach, seashore" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula"

Rin Kurosawa 

**Height:** 5’3” (160.02 cm) **Weight:** 104 lbs (47 kg) **Chest:** 32 in. (81.28 cm)

 **Birthday:** April 15th

 **Likes:** The Occult, Earthworms, Dandelions, RPG Maker horror games

 **Dislikes:** Not being taken seriously

 **Talent:** SHSL Paranormalist

 **Eye Color:** Purple

 **Physical Description:** Rin is a short and skinny young man with short purple hair that falls over his left eye. Both of his eyes have dark circles and under-eye bags under them. He wears a dark purple turtleneck, black jeans, and simple gray sneakers.

 **Personality:** Rin’s a talkative young man with a passion for all things paranormal. Most of the time, people don’t take him seriously, so he’s always elated when people show an interest in his work, and if left up to him, would never shut up about it.

 **Name Etymology:** 凛 (Rin) means "dignified, severe, cold"; 黒沢 (Kurosawa): from 黒 (kuro) meaning "black" and 沢 (sawa) meaning "marsh"

Kenta Shimizu 

**Height:** 5’10” (177.8 cm) **Weight:** 137 lbs (62 kg) **Chest:** 34 in. (86.36 cm)

 **Birthday:** December 27th

 **Likes:** Entertaining people, Tricks, Mitsuko

 **Dislikes:** Boredom

 **Talent:** SHSL Sword Swallower

 **Eye Color:** Brown

 **Physical Description:** Kenta is a tall young man with shoulder-length blond hair, much of which is covered by his top hat. He dresses very fancily, wearing a black tuxedo with a dark blue dress shirt underneath his jacket. He also wears a long black cape to complete the outfit. Whenever he gets the time to put it on in the morning, he wears some foundation and a little bit of eyeliner and mascara.

 **Personality:** Kenta is, at heart, a showman. He’s very confident and very grandiose, to the point where he thinks he can’t possibly die here (though whether this is true or not remains to be seen). However, he will momentarily drop this act whenever the person he cares about the most is in danger.

 **Name Etymology:** 健太 (Kenta): from 健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" and 太 (ta) meaning "thick, big"; 清水 (Shimizu): 清 (shi) meaning "clear, pure, clean" and 水 (mizu) meaning "water"

Mitsuko Tachibana 

**Height:** 4’6” (137 cm) **Weight:** 72 lbs (32.6 kg) **Chest:** 26 in. (66.04 cm)

 **Birthday:** May 14th

 **Likes:** Cats, Her cloak, magic, Kenta

 **Dislikes:** Being told what to do, being called a phony

 **Talent:** SHSL Witch

 **Eye Color:** Red

 **Physical Description:** Mitsuko is extremely petite. She has long black hair that falls all the way down her back, and her bangs rest just above her eyes. She wears a long black dress that covers her shoes, with an even longer cloak over it. Said cloak contains two large side pockets and a hood, which she almost never puts up. Her alternate talent could probably be the SHSL Goth with all the black she wears in her outfit. 

**Personality:** Mitsuko is very aggressive and short-tempered. She likes to do whatever she wants and hates being told what to do. She also has a lot of pride in her magical powers and doesn’t like them being doubted. She doesn’t really get along with people. Kenta is the exception, for she speaks a little bit less abrasively to him than the others. However, she absolutely loves it when people are interested in her magic.

 **Name Etymology:** 光子 (Mitsuko): from 光 (mitsu) meaning "light" and 子 (ko) meaning "child"; 橘 (Tachibana) means "orange, tangerine"

Akane Himura 

**Height:** 6’2” (187.96 cm) **Weight:** 165 lbs (74.8 kg) **Chest:** 37.4 in. (95 cm) 

**Birthday:** September 23rd

 **Likes:** Sweet foods, Toxicology

 **Dislikes:** Secrets

 **Talent:** SHSL Chocolatier

 **Eye Color:** Blue

 **Physical Description:** Akane is extremely tall and has a large bust. She has bright red hair that falls down to her neck. She wears a short but fancy forest green dress with short, frilly sleeves, but contrasts that with a plain black apron. She wears red high heels that make her look even taller than she already is.

 **Personality:** Akane is a strong-willed and optimistic young woman with a natural affinity for leadership. She’s collected, charismatic, and commanding. She doesn’t lose her composure easily, but when she does, she can be quite scary. 

**Name Etymology:** 茜 (Akane) means "deep red, dye from the rubia plant"; 緋村 (Himura): from 緋 (hi) meaning "scarlet, dark red" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village"

Megami Tsukima 

**Height:** 5’5” (165 cm) **Weight:** 105 lbs (47.6 kg) **Chest:** 31.5 in. (80cm) 

**Birthday:** February 14th

 **Likes:** Sweet and spicy food, Video games, music (duh)

 **Dislikes:** Bitter food, Stalkers, Horror movies

 **Talent:** SHSL Singer

 **Eye Color:** Yellow

 **Physical Description:** Megami is a slender girl of average height. She has long magenta hair that falls right down her back, with a braid that goes over her head like a crown. She wears a black and white seifuku with a shortened skirt that goes to her mid-thighs, and she wears sparkly pink flats. She wears quite a bit of makeup, but most notably, she wears heavy eyeliner and mascara, and pink lip gloss.

 **Personality:** Megami is a cheerful and happy-go-lucky girl who likes to look at situations through a positive lens. She’s friendly and relatively down to earth for a celebrity of her caliber, if a little airheaded. She seems to be pretty carefree about the situation, though who knows if that’s actually how she feels or not.

 **Name Etymology:** 女神 (Megami) means “goddess”; 月間 (Tsukima): from 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon" 間 (ma) meaning "among, between"

Aiko Satou 

**Height:** 5’8” (172.72 cm) **Weight:** 130 lbs (59 kg) **Chest:** 36 in. (91.44 cm)

 **Birthday:** June 10th

 **Likes:** Coffee, Cooking, Clothes that have just come out of the dryer

 **Dislikes:** Cigarette smoke

 **Talent:** SHSL Babysitter

 **Eye Color:** Indigo

 **Physical Description:** Aiko is of above average height. She wears a blue denim jacket over a green t-shirt, purple shorts, and blue tennis shoes. Her black shoulder-length hair is tied back. She has some freckles above her cheeks and over her nose.

 **Personality:** Aiko is very lethargic and perpetually exhausted, but also very dedicated to her job and kind-hearted. She’s stern at times, but has everyone’s interests at heart.

 **Name Etymology:** 愛子 (Aiko): from 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and 子 (ko) meaning "child"; 佐藤 (Satou): from 佐 (sa) meaning "help, aid" and 藤 (tō) meaning "wisteria"

Kazuko Koizumi 

**Height:** 5’3” (160.02 cm) **Weight:** 115 lbs (52 kg) **Chest:** 32 in. (81.28 cm)

 **Birthday:** January 20th

 **Likes:** Makeup, Eggplants

 **Dislikes:** Coffee

 **Talent:** SHSL Mime

 **Eye Color:** Gray

 **Physical Description:** Kazuko is a petite girl who wears a black and white striped t-shirt and a bright red skirt with suspenders. She wears shiny black mary janes. Her face is painted white, and she has a black tear painted on her cheek. She also has auburn hair that falls to her shoulders.

 **Personality:** Kazuko is a quiet girl who communicates entirely with JSL. She’s shy and quite timid, but when she’s performing, her personality does a complete 180 shift, and she becomes very lively and energetic.

 **Name Etymology:** 和子 (Kazuko): from 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child"; 小泉 (Koizumi): from 小 (ko) meaning "small" and 泉 (izumi) meaning "spring, fountain"

Katsu Ueno 

**Height:** 6’4” (193.04 cm) **Weight:** 200 lbs (90.7 kg) **Chest:** 37 in. (93.98 cm)

 **Birthday:** November 7th

 **Likes:** Flowers, Training

 **Dislikes:** Alcohol

 **Talent:** SHSL Fencer

 **Eye Color:** Dark Brown

 **Physical Description:** Katsu is very tall (the tallest of the class) and very fit. When he’s not wearing fencing gear, he usually wears a dark blue button-down shirt with a slightly ruffled collar, red dress pants, and brown leather shoes that are tightly tied. He has neck-length brown hair that covers his ears, and he has a little hint of a mustache and a beard.

 **Personality:** Katsu is extremely polite and serious, to the point where he comes off as incredibly stiff. Despite this, he’s very passionate about fencing, and he shows a lot of faith in his classmates.

 **Name Etymology:** 勝 (Katsu) means "victory"; 上野 (Ueno): from 上 (ue) meaning "above, top, upper" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness"

Kohaku Takeuchi 

**Height:** 6’0” (182.88 cm) **Weight:** 141 lbs (64 kg) **Chest:** 35 in. (88.9 cm)

 **Birthday:** January 27th

 **Likes:** Pen ink, his notebook

 **Dislikes:** Printer ink

 **Talent:** SHSL Counselor

 **Eye Color:** Periwinkle

 **Physical Description:** Kohaku is quite tall and lanky. He wears a dark gray blazer over a simple white button-down shirt and a purple tie. He wears gray dress pants and black dress shoes. He wears a pair of blue-framed glasses, without which he is nearly blind. His white hair is neatly trimmed and combed, with his bangs spiked up.

 **Personality:** Kohaku is soft-spoken and incredibly calm, and likes to write down everything that’s happening around him. He’s very good at reading and understanding people, but outside of counseling, he’s not the best at socializing, since he has the bad habit of taking his psychoanalysis too far. Despite this, he does genuinely mean well, and is always looking out for his classmates’ wellbeings.

 **Name Etymology:** 琥珀 (Kohaku) means "amber";竹内 (Takeuchi): from 竹 (take) meaning "bamboo" and 内 (uchi) meaning "inside"

Hoshiko Sasaki 

**Height:** 5’2” (157.48 cm) **Weight:** 91 lbs (41.3 kg) **Chest:** 31 lbs (78.74 cm)

 **Birthday:** December 1st

 **Likes:** Tea, books, personal space

 **Dislikes:** Extended physical contact, Stupid people

 **Talent:** SHSL Scholar

 **Eye Color:** Light Brown

 **Physical Description:** Hoshiko is quite short and underweight. She wears a white and blue school uniform with a black turtleneck underneath it, as well as a long skirt that goes down to her ankles. She wears simple black slip-on shoes, and her dark blond hair is tied in a very high bun.

 **Personality:** Hoshiko is very cold and cynical, and she loves to make sure people don’t forget that. She’s also very prideful, arrogant, and condescending. Though she doesn’t like mincing words with others, she really likes making sarcastic jokes.

 **Name Etymology:** 星子 (Hoshiko): from 星 (hoshi) meaning "star" and 子 (ko) meaning "child"; 佐々木 (Sasaki): from 佐 (sa) meaning "help, aid" (repeated, indicated by the iteration mark 々) and 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood"

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just some general information about the characters. Next week, we start chapter 1!
> 
> Like I said before, there will be 6 FTEs for chapter 1, and currently, 5 slots are filled. So I'll need 1 more vote and then Free Time will all be decided.


	4. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Daily Life Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daily Life begins! The students explore the facility and try to find a way out.

### CHAPTER ONE: BLOODBATH FEVER

#####  DAILY LIFE PART 1

[ https://sta.sh/02cwsue6sf7h ](https://sta.sh/02cwsue6sf7h) (Map of the 1st floor for reference)

**_DING DONG DING DONG_ **

**Monokitsu (Voice):** Attention, students of Class 19! This is an announcement from your headmaster!

**Monokitsu (Voice):** It is now 7am, and as such, this marks the end of nighttime!

**Monokitsu (Voice):** So look alive, kiddos! It’s a perfect day for despair!

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

_I woke up more abruptly than one would have expected. That damn morning announcement gave me such an unbearable headache with how annoying it was._

_My eyes stung as I opened them. I guess whatever I’d been dreaming about must not have been very pleasant._

_As I took a breath, I realized that I was still alive. Hallelujah._

**Katsu:** Good morning, Oleastro-shi. Let us not make Himura-shi wait for too long.

_I saw that Ueno-kun was already up and on his way out of the room. This time, he wasn’t wearing his fencing gear._

**Yuudai:** Huh? You’re up already?!

**Katsu:** I woke up half an hour before that dreadful announcement. It is quite normal for me to wake up early.

**Yuudai:** Huh. Good for you.

**Katsu:** Before I leave, I must tell you, Monokitsu left us with exactly ten copies of the outfit we normally wear. [Awkward smile] It is a relief that he left me with proper clothes. Fencing gear is not very comfortable outside of, well, fencing.

**Yuudai:** That’s fair.

**Katsu:** I will be off now. Try to make haste.

_As Ueno-kun left, I slowly got up and forced myself to take a look inside the drawer of my bedside table. In it, I found exactly ten copies of the outfit I was wearing, exactly as he’d said._

_Honestly, I wanted to keep sleeping, but we all promised Himura-san that we’d meet up in the morning._

_I took a copy of my outfit from the drawer and went to the bathroom to shower and change. After that, I ran my fingers through my hair to try and make it look at least somewhat presentable-- yes, I could have used a hairbrush; no, I would never be caught dead holding one of those monstrosities, not even in a life-or-death situation._

_Still feeling somewhat exhausted, I left the room and made my way to the dining hall._

_When I arrived, I saw that there were already a few people there: Himura-san, Ueno-kun, Inoue-san, and Tsukima-san._

[OST: Beautiful Morning]

**Akane:** [Pleasant expression] Good morning! It’s good to see you guys are up bright and early!

**Haruna:** [Cheerful expression] Well, you know what they say: seize the day! Carpet diamond!

**Yuudai:** Umm...I think you mean to say _carpe diem_?

**Haruna:** [Finger guns] Seize the day!

_It’s the thought that counts. At least she’s able to stay positive at a time like this._

**Yuudai:** I slept like a log, but if I’m being honest, I’m just as tired as I was last night.

**Katsu:** [Strained expression] I am much the opposite. I do not think I would be able to stay asleep even if I tried.

**Akane:** That’s fair. This _is_ a pretty...unsettling...environment. [Smile] But I’m glad you decided to come to this morning’s meeting.

_As we made a little bit of small talk in the dining hall, more people began to trickle in: Satou-san and Koizumi-san, Shimizu-kun and Kawaguchi-kun, and Rani-san and Tachibana-san._

**Aiko:** [Fatigued smile] Good morning, everyone. Were any of you able to get some sleep?

**Kazuko:** [Tapping on e-handbook screen] “I know I didn’t.”

**Yuudai:** Koizumi-san, your e-handbook has a text-to-speech feature?

**Kazuko:** [Excited] “Yeah! It was...surprisingly kind of Monokitsu to include it for me! So now everyone can understand me!”

_I hesitate to call anything that Monokitsu does “kind”, but who am I to rain on her parade?_

**Kenta:** [Forlorn expression] I made the attempt, but alas, due to the reaper’s malicious presence, ‘twas not to be.

**Mitsuko:** [Rolling eyes] That translates to “I was scared shitless” in Kenta-speak.

**Rani:** [Eyes widen] Yanno, the word “R-E-A-P-E-R” comes from the ol’English “R-I-P-E-R-E”. I’ll betcha that’s gotta do with why Kenta talks like he’s from the ‘Leventh century!

_Kawaguchi-kun didn’t say anything; he just made a beeline for the kitchen._

**Haruna:** [Intense smirk] Hey now, don’t raid the pantry without me, Kawaguchi!

_Inoue-san ran after Kawaguchi-kun._

**Kazuko:** [Eyebrows furrowed] “Imagine having an appetite at a time like this. Can’t relate.”

**Megami:** [Wink and smile] Literally same, Kazu-chan! 

**Akane:** [Frowns] Hmmm…Hmmmmmmmmmm...

**Katsu:** [Concerned] Is something the matter, Himura-shi?

**Akane:** As a matter of fact, yes. It would appear that out of all of us here so far, one person’s roommate is unaccounted for. [Narrows eyes] Tsukima-san, do you happen to know where Sasaki-san is?

**Megami:** [Alarmed] Ah! Hoshi-chan said she didn’t wanna come here today! [Frowns] She, um...she said she doesn’t trust anyone here. The last time I saw her was in our room, but if she left after me, then I...wouldn’t know where she is. Sorry…

**Akane:** [Pinches bridge of nose] It’s fine. I know not everyone here is willing to be so...cooperative, but as long as she’s alive, then that’s all that matters.

_Most of the rest of the group arrived. Kurosawa-kun and Takeuchi-kun, and even Hamasaki-kun showed up. A few minutes later, Kawaguchi-kun and Inoue-san returned from their pantry raid._

**Akane:** [Contented smile] Ah, how nice of you all to join us. That only leaves Sasaki-san.

[OST: Despair Syndrome]

**Shinobu:** [Nervous; grabbing ponytail] Y-You don’t think maybe she’s already--

**Megami:** [Cross] Of course not! She was very much alive the last time I saw her!

**Haruna:** [Head tilt] You didn’t kill her, did you, Tsukima?

**Megami:** [Exasperated] NO! Why would I kill my own roommate?! That’d just make me the obvious culprit!

**Kenta:** [Contemplative] Then perchance it was one of these late coming gentlemen who made her meet God?

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] I never saw Sasaki-san this morning, and even if I had, I couldn’t have killed her. Kurosawa-kun and I were together the whole time.

**Rin:** [Nods] He’s right.

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl; pointing at Izumi] Then that just leaves the antisocial ocean fucker!

**Izumi:** [Muted anger] … [Sigh]

**Izumi:** [Blank expression] If I’d known I was going to be insulted _and_ accused of murder, I never would have bothered to humor Himura by showing up to her little meeting in the first place.

**Akane:** [Irritated] You guys! We can’t just point fingers at each other like this! We’re supposed to be working together to escape! And besides, we don’t even know if Sasaki-san is actually dead or not!

**Aiko:** [Tired shrug] That’s fair. Then I suppose there’s nothing to do but to find her.

**Akane:** [Sigh] [Impatient expression] I’m going to go retrieve her. Satou-san, Takeuchi-kun, I’m putting you in charge of the group while I’m gone. If Sasaki-san and I are not back in fifteen minutes, then just assume that I’ve murdered her myself.

_Akane bolted out of the dining hall after that._

[OST: Despair-Syndrome]

**Rani:** [Sweatdrop] Sooooooooo...that was a T-H-I-N-G.

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen with fingers] How is everyone feeling this morning?

**Kazuko:** [Tapping on PDA screen] “Not very good, as one might have expected.”

**Megami:** [Fidgeting with hair] This is a nightmare! I can’t even call my manager to tell him that I won’t be able to make it to my next gig! [Nervous] We’ve been totally cut off from the outside world!

**Rin:** [Eery expression] A closed space of sorts...where Monokitsu will force us to tear each other apart just to leave…

**Haruna:** [Frown] When you say it like that, it sounds really lonely…

**Kohaku:** [Eyebrows raised] Lonely, you say? [Writing in notebook] I see...Would you mind elaborating on that point?

_But before Inoue-san or anyone else could say anything…_

[OST: Beautiful Morning]

**Akane:** [Triumphant expression] I’m back! And look who I’ve brought with me!

_With her was a_ very _disgruntled Sasaki-san._

**Megami:** [Bright smile; waving] Heyo, Hoshi-chan~!

**Hoshiko:** [Arms crossed; looking away] …

**Akane:** [Determined] Okay, now that everyone is _finally_ here, the first order of business is making sense of our location! We’ll break out into groups and search the building for an escape route. Since there’s fifteen of us, we’ll split into five groups of three!

**Izumi:** Are we absolutely required to be in groups?

**Akane:** Of course! It’s safer that way! And I’ve already prepared who goes in each group!

**Mitsuko:** You really are dedicated to this student council president bullshit, huh…

**Akane:** [Sweatdrop] I...am gonna pretend I didn’t hear that, and just announce the groups!

**Akane:** Takeuchi-kun, Kawaguchi-kun, and Shimizu-kun will be the first group! Ueno-kun, Koizumi-san, and Satou-san will be the next group! Hamasaki-kun, Tachibana-san, and Tsukima-san are a group!

**Mitsuko:** Ugh…

**Izumi:** I still don’t understand the need for groups…

**Akane:** Oleastro-kun, Sasaki-san, and Inoue-san will be a group. And Kurosawa-kun and Rani-san will stay with me!

_Don’t get me wrong, it’s good that someone’s taking charge of the situation, but the way she does it is almost like we’re a bunch of kids at a summer camp._

**Akane:** Now with that said and done, let’s be off! [Checking e-handbook screen] It’s 8:30 right now, so let’s meet back up ten hours from now, at 6:30, and discuss our findings!

_With that, we split into our designated groups, some of us more enthusiastically than others, and left the dining hall._

**Hoshiko:** [Smug] Well, whoop-de-doo, I’m partnered up with Jumpy and Scruffy. This should be fun.

_I couldn’t say anything in response, so I decided to ignore her for the time being and focus on investigating._ _Inoue-san wasted no time, and grabbed us both by the wrist, dragging us through the hallways towards the direction of the infirmary. There didn’t seem to be anything of note. At least, not until we reached the other end of the building and saw a metal gate._

**Haruna:** [Squinting] Is that…? [Excited] [Jumping for joy] Oh my god! Look at the other side of the gate! It’s a staircase! A freaking staircase!

**Hoshiko:** [Disgruntled expression] Careful! You’ll rip off my damn arm with how much you’re jostling it.

_Inoue-san didn’t seem to be listening to her, as she let go of us and bolted towards the gate, immediately trying to force it open._

**Haruna:** Maybe we can finally get out of here!

**Yuudai:** Hey, be careful! We don’t want to damage school property!

**Hoshiko:** [Blunt expression] So long as she doesn’t break the gate, we won’t have to worry about rules. And even if she does, you and I won’t be the ones to suffer the consequences.

_The more Sasaki-san speaks, the more I feel like clenching my hand into a tight fist. It’s like she doesn’t even care what happens to anyone else!_

_I tried not to think about that as Inoue-san pulled at the gate._

**Haruna:** [Strained expression] It’s not budging!

_Sasaki-san and I also tried to grab the gate and pull up, but no matter how hard we pulled, it didn't move an inch._

**Hoshiko:** [Sigh] Of course it wouldn’t be that easy.

[OST: Mr. Monokuma’s Lesson]

**Monokitsu:** Fufufu~...you’re damn right!

**Yuudai:** When the fuck did you get here?!

**Haruna:** [Alarmed] What do you want this time?!

**Monokitsu:** [Giggling, paws covering mouth] I just had to respond to what my darling Sasaki-san said!

**Hoshiko:** [Narrows eyes] That escape would be no easy feat?

**Monokitsu:** Forget about it being easy… [Wicked grin, holding up claws] It’s impossible! [Inquisitive] Just think about it for a second. I put in so much work just to trap you SHSLs in this facility. Do you _really_ think I’d make it _that_ easy to break out of here?

**Hoshiko:** [Arms crossed, looking away] I...figured as much.

**Monokitsu:** [Neutral] Besides, this isn’t an “escape” game. [Wicked grin] This is a KILLING game! You kids can try all you want to restrain your violent urges, but the seed of despair is already inside you!

_Monokitsu disappeared, and the three of us lost our grip on the gate._

[OST: Nightmare in Locker]

**Haruna:** [Looking at the ground] This thing’s bolted to the floor, it seems. Not even someone as strong as Ueno could move it.

**Yuudai:** So there really is no way to escape here without murder?

**Hoshiko:** [Cold stare] That’s what I’ve been saying this whole time. If it’s taken you _this_ long to realize it, either you’ve been in denial all this time, or you really are a thick-headed fool.

_What the fuck is wrong with her? Why does she feel the need to be a jerk?_

**Haruna:** [Pout] Don’t be rude, Sasaki! There’s nothing wrong with having a little hope!

**Hoshiko:** [Agitated] I’m not going to bother trying to argue with you. Believe whatever you want.

**Yuudai:** Well, that’s all well and good, but what now?

**Hoshiko:** [Neutral] Actually, can we go back to the infirmary? There’s something I wanted to reconfirm.

_Back to the infirmary? Ah, I think I remember now._

**[Flashback]**

**Hoshiko:** [Rolls eyes] Whoever brought us here was very generous with their supply of medication. They left us with _everything_ , and I mean _everything_ from Alendronate to Zopiclone.

**Kohaku:** [Writing in notebook] I see. It’s as though we are meant to stay here for a prolonged period of time.

**Hoshiko:** [Concerned] What the...there’s even--

**[End of flashback]**

_She was going to say something back when I first met her, before she was interrupted by Monokitsu. Maybe this time we’ll actually get to know what she wanted to say._

**Haruna:** Okay! To the infirmary we go!

_Inoue-san seemed to instantly recover from her dejection, and grabbed me and Sasaki-san, dragging us both to the infirmary._

**Hoshiko:** [Strained expression] Warn me the next time you do that. You damn near broke my wrist.

_Sasaki-san held up her wrist, pulling down the sleeve of her turtleneck just enough so that we could see a hand-shaped bruise beginning to form._

**Haruna:** [Eyes widen] Whoops! My bad!

**Yuudai:** Yikes.

_Sasaki-san immediately entered the infirmary and went back to the medicine cabinet and started looking inside. Inoue-san and I stood behind her, looking over her shoulders._

**Hoshiko:** [Cold] Don’t get too close. I don’t need you two breathing down my neck.

**Haruna:** Right, gotcha!

**Yuudai:** Sure...

_We’re not even that close to you, though..._

**Hoshiko:** So...nothing’s out of place since the last time I checked...that’s a relief.

**Yuudai:** What was it you wanted to check again, Sasaki-san?

**Hoshiko:** Oh, I just wanted to see if all the poison was still here.

**Haruna:** [Shocked] P-Poison?!

**Hoshiko:** All the bottles here are sorted in alphabetical order, so the poisons are mixed with the actual medicine. [Concerned] Let’s see...there’s...chlordecone...pentobarbital...pancuronium bromide...and those are just the ones I can immediately recognize. Do you guys know what those poisons are?!

**Yuudai:** I have no clue, but they sound pretty deadly...

**Hoshiko:** [Slight shadow over face] Not just deadly...most of these poisons are commonly used in lethal injections…

**Haruna:** [Alarmed] What the hell? How did our captor manage to get ahold of these?!

**Hoshiko:** [Concerned] That’s the million-dollar question…

**Yuudai:** You said the poisons are just mixed in with the actual medicine, right? Isn’t that really dangerous?!

**Hoshiko:** It is. That’s why I think we should hide them away.

_The three of us rummaged through the cabinet and pulled out the poisons we could identify, tossing them into the cabinet right next to it. After we finished, I checked the time on my PDA. It was 4:30. We had to meet up with the others in two hours. Did that much time really pass since we first started investigating?_

**Hoshiko:** I think we’ve hidden away all the poisons. But I think we should check to see if there’s any more dangerous stuff here.

_I opened a drawer right above my head, being careful not to slam my head against it. I stood up and peered inside. The drawer was mostly empty, except for a box of scalpels. I checked the drawers on either side of this one. There was some surgical gear, as well as various medical supplies that I had no clue how to use._

_It’s probably best if I leave these alone for now._

_I closed the drawers and took a close look at the infirmary itself. Lined up against a wall were four cots, separated by curtains. Unlike the walls of the school, these walls were a plain white, and the floor was made of cream colored tiles. The only window in this entire room was the one on the door. Unlike all the other windows I’d seen thus far, this one had no metal bars and was completely transparent._

_Overall, it was quite plain, just a normal infirmary. It could end up being very useful if there was anyone here with any sort of medical training._

**Hoshiko:** [Contemplative] It’s all O-.

**Haruna:** [Head tilt] Huh?

_Sasaki-san knelt in front of a small refrigerator, peering at its contents. Inoue-san and I joined her. This refrigerator was stuffed to the brim with blood packs, and apparently they were all O-._

**Hoshiko:** O- is a common blood type used in blood transfusions due to it being the universal donor.

**Yuudai:** The more you know…

**Hoshiko:** While all of this is useless in terms of escape, it may prove to be of some use if anything _happens_.

**Haruna:** Hopefully nothing _does_ happen, though.

_At this point, we had explored the infirmary as much as we could, so there wasn’t very much left to find. As such, the three of us left the infirmary and continued our investigation._

_The moment we stepped outside, something caught my eye. Right across from the infirmary was an abnormally large safe. A vault, perhaps?_

**Haruna:** A vault? What’s that doing in a school?

**Yuudai:** _Je ne sais pas._ Do you wanna check it out?

**Hoshiko:** We may as well.

_We walked to the vault and inspected it. There wasn’t a physical lock on the door; it was electronic in nature. I assumed that you’d probably have to scan your e-handbook in order to open it. Sasaki-san scanned hers, and a small light by the door flashed green. She pulled on the door, but it wouldn’t open._

**Hoshiko:** I’m not strong enough to open it, and I don’t feel like breaking my wrist trying. Would you like to do the honors, Inoue-san?

_Inoue-san gave the door to the vault a good tug, and it swung open. The three of us peered inside, and what we saw shook me to my core._

[OST: Weekly Despair Magazine]

_Hatchets...machetes...garrotes...a fucking guillotine...a variety of swords...clubs...a battering ram...and firearms, all littered in this large vault. Monokitsu really did prepare for us to kill each other brutally._

_I felt a chill run down my back all the way to my feet. I let out a loud gasp that was more like a shout._

**Yuudai:** [Disturbed] What the hell…?!

**Haruna:** [Alarmed] There’s a fucking head-choppy thingy too?!

**Yuudai:** It’s called a guillotine. A-And...I think that’s what Monokitsu alluded to when he mentioned execution.

**Hoshiko:** [Dispassionate expression] But why store it with these other weapons and make it so easily accessible? If all it takes to get it is a swipe of your handbook, then anyone could use it.

**Yuudai:** [Disturbed] I don’t even want to think about that.

**Hoshiko:** [Smug] Now it’s finally becoming real to you, isn’t it? Monokitsu was being absolutely serious when he said he wanted us to kill each other. Why else would he give us an assortment of deadly weapons? Hell, he might have even left us a grenade or ten.

_My anxiety then turned into seething annoyance. Sasaki-san had been going on and on this whole time, and honestly, I was quite done with her shit._

**Yuudai:** [Glare] тоа е тоа! I have had it up to _here_ with your remarks! Are you even capable of being anything other than annoyingly smug all the time?! Just shut up already!

**Haruna:** [Wincing] Yikes. I know how you feel, Oleastro, but did you really need to yell so loudly?

**Yuudai:** Ah! S-Sorry about that. I guess I got a little carried away.

_I looked over at Sasaki-san, whose expression was unreadable. I couldn’t tell if she was angry or scared, or some other negative emotion._

**Hoshiko:** [Mumbling] So damn annoying... [Checking e-handbook] It’s almost 6:30. We should head back to the dining hall.

[OST: None]

_I couldn’t believe ten hours had already passed since we first started investigating. Inoue-san tried to drag us back, but this time, Sasaki-san slapped her hand away before she could grab her wrist._

**Hoshiko:** [Cold expression] You’ve been doing that all this time, and it’s annoying as hell. Was bruising my wrist not enough for you, or do you absolutely need to break it, too?

_Inoue-san looked as if Sasaki-san had slapped her._

**Haruna:** [Shocked] I...had no idea it was annoying. [Awkward smile] So, um, let’s go back to the dining hall.

_We unenthusiastically walked back to the dining hall, where all the other trios were all sitting together._

[OST: Beautiful Morning]

**Akane:** [Smile] Welcome back! [Neutral] Okay, now that everyone’s back, we can all share what we discovered. Ueno-kun, how about you start us off?

**Katsu:** [Neutral] Satou-shi, Koizumi-shi and I went to the courtyard. It contains a wide variety of athletic equipment, and the sky is visible from outside.

**Aiko:** [Neutral] That’s true. However, there’s a tall wall that’s impossible to climb. I tried to get over it, but it turned out that there’s a force field that prevents one from getting to the other side. In fact, when I touched it, it shocked me and I fell off.

**Kazuko:** “But luckily, Ueno-kun was there to catch her! If Satou-san had fallen, she probably would have gotten really hurt.”

**Akane:** [Surprised] Force field? Huh...That’s good to know.

**Izumi:** So it seems that we truly are trapped here.

**Akane:** [Determined] We can’t lose hope just yet. I’m sure we’ll find some way to escape!

**Kazuko:** [Tapping on e-handbook] “This doesn’t really have to do with escape, but we also found a storage closet in the gym. It has a bunch of cleaning supplies in it.”

**Akane:** I see...it could be worse. At least there aren’t any deadly weapons in it.

_Oh dear...she’s not going to like what we have to say..._

**Megami:** This doesn’t have much to do with escape either, but Mitsu-chan, Izu-chan, and I investigated the classrooms and the bathrooms.

**Megami:** The classrooms didn’t really stand out, but we found out that the bathrooms require you to scan your e-handbook to enter them, and you’re not allowed to enter the bathroom of the opposite sex. 

**Megami:** Also, we found a laundry room by the bathrooms. There are 16 hampers, 3 washing machines, and 3 dryers.

**Aiko:** [Neutral] I can take on the responsibility of doing everyone’s laundry so the rest of you can worry about the more important things.

**Akane:** Oh, thank you, Satou-san! That’s very kind of you.

**Aiko:** [Contented smile, shrug] It’s what I do.

**Akane:** Hamasaki-kun, Tachibana-san, do either of you have anything to add?

**Izumi:** [Shakes head]

**Mitsuko:** The pink doll said enough for the three of us.

[OST: Finding Peace Party]

**Megami:** [Head tilt] What did you just call me?

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] Are you deaf or stupid, Tsukima?

**Izumi:** [Arms crossed] The former would be quite ironic. The latter would be unsurprising.

**Megami:** [Irritated] Hehhhhhhhh?! Who took a shit in your rice bowl?! [Covers mouth] Oh my, that was quite uncharacteristic of me.

**Akane:** [Annoyed] Is it too much to ask that you guys at least _pretend_ to get along with each other?

**Mitsuko:** [Angry] I get along just fine! It’s not my fault that Hamasaki’s a misanthrope and Tsukima’s just plain annoying!

**Izumi:** [Narrows eyes] I do _not_ hate people. I just prefer not to associate with them. And this is exactly why.

**Megami:** [Shaken] A-Am I really that unpleasant to be around?

**Mitsuko:** AGH! If I have to spend one more minute around you, I might just turn the lot of you into plush cats! At least they’re tolerable.

**Akane:** [Strained] You guys, please, don’t bicker...

**Aiko:** [Scowl] You are acting like a child, Mitsuko-chi. Grow up and start acting like the young woman you will soon become.

**Mitsuko:** [Snarling] Fuck off, Satou, this doesn’t involve you!

**Aiko:** [Exhausted] You know what, I’ve dealt with children like you before. I’m not going to give you the reaction you want.

**Kenta:** [Sweatdrop] Mitsu, darling, please hold thy tongue.

**Mitsuko:** Do you want me to turn you into a cockroach _again_ , Kenta?

**Kazuko:** “Tachibana-san is scaring me…”

**Aiko:** [Patting Kazuko on the head] It’s okay, Kazuko-chi. Nobody’s going to turn anybody into cockroaches.

**Haruna:** Yanno, maybe it’s better if we all become cockroaches. Those nasty little things are practically impossible to kill!

**Rani:** Tha’s jus’ G-R-O-S-S! [Thinking] [Eyes widen] Oh! Maybe we can piss off tha’ stupid fox by becomin’ creepy crawly bugs!

_Do I even want to bother speaking up?_

**Kohaku:** [Twirls pen with curious expression] Now, just _what_ has caused Tachibana-san to snap like that? Perhaps this is a defense mechanism against your fear of this situation by acting out in anger to deny the fact that you don’t trust anybody in this room and you’re utterly terrified of falling victim to this killing game?

**Mitsuko:** [Shock] Y-You…[Livid] [Pointing at Kohaku] Don’t you fucking _dare_ try to psychoanalyze me, you stupid shrink!

**Akane:** [Irritated] Now is not the time to be insulting others. If you have a grievance with anyone here, you can express your feelings respectfully. Maybe Takeuchi-kun would even be willing to help you with that if you don’t know how.

**Mitsuko:** [Snarling] Don’t patronize me, Red Velvet!

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] I think you were right on the money, Takeuchi.

**Mitsuko:** [Pointing at Hoshiko] I fucking heard that! God, didn’t your mother ever tell you not to gossip about other people?!

**Hoshiko:** [Dark expression] _Never_ bring up that vile bitch ever again.

_I can barely keep track of this chaos. It’s kind of like a train wreck: I can’t bear to watch it, but at the same time, I can’t look away…_

**Akane:** [infuriated] [tugging on hair] Everyone, **_SHUT THE FUCK UP!_ **

[OST: None]

_After that, pin drop silence. Everyone looked straight at Himura-san, who looked to be done with everyone’s shit, and rightfully so. She inhaled deeply, and then began pointing and ranting at everyone._

[OST: Despair Syndrome]

**Akane:** [Pointing at Izumi] Hamasaki-kun, I don’t _care_ about your antisocial tendencies, because we’re never going to get out of here if we don’t work together! 

**Akane:** [Pointing at Megami] [Softer expression] Tsukima-san, you’re not annoying. Just keep being yourself. 

**Akane:** [Pointing at Aiko] [Softer expression] Satou-san, I’m sorry you have to deal with this. I know it must be exhausting. 

**Akane:** [Pointing at Hoshiko] [Irritated] _Please_ , I am begging you, do not provoke Tachibana-san when she’s already angry. 

**Akane:** [Pointing at Kenta] Please, Shimizu-kun, try to keep her in check. 

**Akane:** [Pointing at Kohaku] [Annoyed] Takeuchi-kun, can you please fucking _not_ treat this situation as a goddamn social experiment?! 

**Akane:** [Pointing at Mitsuko] [Livid] And you...Fucking! You! Please take a fucking chill pill! I’m sure there are plenty of those in the infirmary. And don’t you fucking dare abuse your magic at a time like this! And don’t antagonize people just for the sake of antagonizing people! We were right in the middle of discussing the results of our investigation and now that’s been completely derailed!

_After loudly scolding those people for five whole minutes, Himura-san burst into a violent coughing fit. At that moment, the one creature we least wanted to see showed up._

[OST: Mr. Monokuma’s Tutoring]

**Monokitsu:** My, my, what a lovely group you’ve got going on, Himura-san!

**Akane:** [Scowl] Sh-Shut up, fox. Unless...you’ve got..something useful to say...then just kindly fuck off...

**Monokitsu:** Whaaaaaaaaaaat?! How could you be so mean to me! After all I’ve done for you! Providing you everything you could possibly need to survive, and _this_ is the thanks I get?!

**Shinobu:** [Angry, pulling on ponytail] G-Get out of here, y-you stupid toy!

**Katsu:** [Stern expression] You heard Kawaguchi-shi: begone.

**Monokitsu:** [Staring dejectedly at the floor] So you guys really don’t want me around? Not even you, Yuudai-kun~?

**Yuudai:** ...Just get out of here.

**Monokitsu:** [Angry] Alright, fine! I don’t even need you brats anyway!

_Monokitsu left in a huff, after which Himura-san seemed to have recovered from her coughing fit._

[OST: Beautiful Morning]

**Akane:** [Softer expression] I apologize for my earlier outburst. Now, if we may get back on track...Takeuchi-kun, would you mind sharing your group’s findings?

**Kohaku:** [Neutral] Of course. Shimizu-kun, Kawaguchi-kun, and I checked out the kitchen. It’s stocked to the brim with enough food to feed the whole country. Monokitsu even confirmed that he replenishes the food supply so that we never run out.

**Akane:** Is that so? That’s very good to know. [Gazing down] Though I guess that’s yet another bit of evidence that Monokitsu really was serious about keeping us here for the rest of our lives.

**Rin:** But wait! Didn’t _we_ find something really interesting that could potentially be an escape route?!

**Rani:** [Bright expression] If I’m rememberin’ correctly, we found a S-E-C-R-E-T room! It was locked an’ Monokitsu seemed real pissed when we tried ta get in!

**Akane:** That’s true. On top of that, we also found a staircase, but it was blocked off. I have a feeling that what lies beyond will be relevant to our situation.

**Haruna:** [Excited expression] We found a staircase, too! [Dejected] But, um...when we tried to get in, Monokitsu said it’s impossible to escape.

[OST: Despair-Syndrome]

**Akane:** [Stern expression] Well, we can’t just believe anything he’s saying is actually true. More likely than not, he just said it so that we’d feel like we have no choice but to kill. But I know that there just _has_ to be a way to escape.

**Rin:** [Contemplative] I mean, if there’s a way _in_ , then surely there has to be a way _out_. [Shrugs] Unless we’ve all been summoned to the Nirvana somehow.

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] I’m pretty fucking sure that we’re not here because of any paranormal bullshit, Kurosawa.

**Rin:** [Frowns] It does seem unlikely, but we can’t completely discount the possibility.

**Hoshiko:** [Cold stare] We can speculate all we like, but like the mastermind discussion, we can’t come to a conclusion because we don’t know anything yet.

**Akane:** [Sharp nod] I suppose that’s a fair point.

**Yuudai:** Um...we found more, but you’re not going to like it. 

**Akane:** [Weak smile] As it is, I don’t like the fact that we haven’t found an escape yet. So just say what you’re going to say.

**Yuudai:** Inoue-san, Sasaki-san, and I investigated the infirmary. We found a bunch of medical supplies, so that could be useful if anyone knows how to use them.

**Aiko:** Oh, I’m trained in first aid, so if there’s an...incident, I could be the designated medic.

**Akane:** [Softer expression] Well, that’s certainly good news. [Frown] Go on, Oleastro-kun. Please, tell me the thing I won’t like.

**Yuudai:** Oh, that...we also found a bunch of deadly poisons in the medicine cabinet.

**Hoshiko:** [Arms crossed, looking to the side] I actually discovered those long before Monokitsu announced the killing game. I would have said something sooner, but that stupid fox wouldn’t let me.

**Akane:** [Alarmed] Oh god…

**Yuudai:** But we did our best to separate the poisons from the actual medicine!

**Akane:** [Nods] That’s good. I’ll have to check the infirmary later just to make sure.

**Yuudai:** _Also_...Across from the infirmary, there’s a vault. It has a lot of deadly weapons….

**Hoshiko:** [Neutral] Garrotes, firearms, swords, hatchets, machetes, etc. Sixteen of each of those. Oh, and a guillotine.

_In contrast to Sasaki-san’s matter-of-fact explanation, the group began to panic, until Himura-san silenced them once again._

**Akane:** [Stern expression] This discussion has been quite...illuminating, so to speak. Let’s conclude our meeting, unless anyone wants to say anything else?

_Nobody spoke up._

**Aiko:** [Neutral] I’ll prepare dinner for anyone who’s hungry.

**Akane:** [Softer expression] Thank you, Satou-san. Let me know if you need any help. I’d be happy to assist you.

_Seeing that the meeting was over, Sasaki-san and Hamasaki-kun immediately left the dining hall as Satou-san went to the kitchen. With no desire to do anything in particular, all I could do was ruminate._

_I didn’t want to believe that anyone here would kill someone, that anyone here was even capable of murder. But simply having hope that nobody would die wouldn’t be enough to prevent any killings._

_My thoughts were then interrupted by a loud explosion. Everyone turned their heads to the kitchen, where a wave of smoke protruded and spread into the air in the dining hall._

[OST: None]

**Akane:** [Alarmed] Oh my…

_Himura-san immediately stood and bolted towards the kitchen. I found myself following her._

_When we entered the kitchen, the sight we saw was concerning, to say the least._

[OST: Junk Food for a Dashing Youth]

_The source of the smoke was the microwave, which was completely obliterated. Shrapnel was littered all across the floor. Satou-san’s hands were red as she stood in front of Kawaguchi-kun, shielding him from the damage._

**Akane:** [Concerned] Are you guys okay? What happened?!

**Aiko:** [Stern expression] We’re fine; nobody’s hurt too badly. Uh...Shinobu-chi blew up the microwave.

**Yuudai:** What the hell?! How did that happen?!

**Shinobu:** [Petrified expression] I-I was just trying t-to prepare some instant ramen...but I think I...n-nuked it for too long…

**Yuudai:** Oh shit...Wait. Doesn’t that break one of Monokitsu’s rules?

**Monokitsu:** Fufufu~...A wild Monokitsu appears!

**Akane:** [Scowl] Why do you always appear when we least want to see you?

**Monokitsu:** [Furious] Hey now, it’s not my fault that Pumpkin McSpazz over here decided that my rules didn’t matter to him!

**Shinobu:** [Scowl; pointing at Monokitsu] H-Hey now! It was an a-accident! The rule only applies if it’s on p-purpose!

**Monokitsu:** [Inquisitive] ...Huh. So then you _did_ bother to read the rules after all. [Dejected; looking at the floor] And here I thought I’d finally get to paint the kitchen pink. Oh well. I _guess_ I’ll spare you this time.

**Monokitsu:** [Angry] But don’t think just because I’m forgiving you it means that you can do it again! If you blow up the microwave one more time, you’re dead!

_Monokitsu waddled away, and we all sighed in relief._

**Akane:** [Sweatdrop] Thank god. I don’t know what I would have done if that had ended badly.

**Shinobu:** [Fidgeting with ponytail] I-I’m sorry about that. I didn’t even know that would h-happen! I’ve never...b-blown up a microwave before…

**Aiko:** [Scolding expression] You’re forgiven, but I think you should go back to the dining hall and wait for dinner. 

_Kawaguchi-kun didn’t linger a moment longer._

**Aiko:** [Looking around at me and Akane] That goes for the rest of you. It’s not safe in here.

**Akane:** Are you sure you don’t need any help around here? It seems like a lot of work, cleaning up the mess here _and_ cooking dinner.

**Aiko:** [Softer expression] I appreciate the offer, Akane-chi, but I’m not the SHSL Babysitter for nothing. I can handle this myself.

_Himura-san nodded, and the two of us reluctantly left Satou-san in the kitchen._

[OST: Beautiful Morning]

_I returned to my seat, and to my thoughts. But before I could think for very long, I found that I was not alone. Takeuchi-kun had taken a seat across from me. I hadn’t even noticed._

**Kohaku:** [Neutral] I’ve noticed that you haven’t said very much at this meeting. Am I being presumptuous when I presume that you’ve been getting lost in thought?

_What a greeting that was..._

**Yuudai:** Oh, hi! And, well, I guess you could say that. Hold on...when did you even get here?

**Kohaku:** I’ve been here for at least the past five minutes. [Twirling pen] I would advise you to remain vigilant in this environment. [Dispassionate expression] It would be very bad if something were to happen to you just because you weren’t paying attention to your surroundings.

**Yuudai:** Is...Is that a threat?

**Kohaku:** [Shakes head] Not a threat, a warning. I’m not going to kill you or anyone else here. [Covers mouth with notebook] I just wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you, that’s all.

**Yuudai:** Oh, I see. I...really hope that nobody here dies. But I’m not so sure that there won’t be a murder. I know that sounds really cynical, but still...

**Kohaku:** [Sympathetic] No, I think your concerns are legitimate. It’s quite normal to feel that way, especially after Monokitsu told you that escape is impossible. [Twirling pen] I’m not sure how much I can help since I’m stuck here, too, but I _can_ say this: try not to let your negative emotions fester. That can lead you to do very... _irrational_ things that you might regret.

**Yuudai:** You’re right. Thanks.

**Kohaku:** [Slight smile] It’s no problem. I’m always happy to help whenever I can.

_I feel a lot calmer after that short exchange. Takeuchi-kun seems nice, and not at all like a murderer. I want to trust him._

_The rest of the evening went on much like this, mostly in silence, with hints of conversation springing up at times. Dinner was good, but it could only do so much to ease the weight of our situation. With that said, I didn’t fall into despair that night._

**_DING DONG DING DONG_ **

**Monokitsu (voice):** Attention, students of Class 19! This is an announcement from your headmaster!

**Monokitsu (voice):** It is now 10PM, and as such, nighttime has officially begun!

**Monokitsu (voice):** Soon, certain restrictions will be placed on parts of the school.

**Monokitsu (voice):** Sweet dreams, everyone, and get ready for a despairingly beautiful day tomorrow!

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

_That damn voice never fails to make me want to scream and cry, but I can’t let it get to me._

_I dragged myself back to my room and curled up on my bed again. Ueno-kun followed suit a few minutes later, making extra sure that the door was locked. We didn’t say anything that night._

_Unlike the previous night, it took a lot longer for me to get to sleep, so I resigned myself to staring up at the ceiling. And I prayed that I would see everyone tomorrow morning._

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MONOKITSU THEATER

**Monokitsu:** Humans can be so damn stupid sometimes!

**Monokitsu:** They always tell you to hope for the best, no matter what!

**Monokitsu:** What is it they say? Don’t worry, be happy?

**Monokitsu:** Well, maybe you _shouldn’t_ be happy at a time like this!

**Monokitsu:** I, on the other hand, will be very, _very_ happy once the first blood is shed!

**Monokitsu:** There really is nothing like the slow brew of despair!

**Monokitsu:** Like I always say: don’t worry, just despair! Fufufufufufu~...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone else fucking hate writing Daily Life Exploration? 'Cuz I sure do! It's fun to play in the games but it's super boring to write. The only things about this part that kept me from going insane from writing this is the set-up to the murder and the little conflicts between the characters. Otherwise, I'd have to say the most fun part about this chapter was making the map.
> 
> On another note, All the Free Time slots have been filled for Chapter 1, and Free Time starts in the next part! Next part will contain FTEs for Mitsuko, Kohaku, and Aiko.
> 
> On another other note, if you want to know my progress on writing out the whole Daily Life and such, follow my Tumblr. It's cloudbreaker11037. There you'll also get to see some random OC bullshit and memes and a little bit of life shenaniganery, if that interests you. But yeah! You can ask me anything (but if it spoils a part we haven't gotten to yet, I can't guarantee an answer).


	5. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Daily Life Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class tries to find a sense of peace and normalcy. How long can they go without tearing each other apart?
> 
> Free Time this part will be spent with Mitsuko, Kohaku, and Aiko.

##### DAILY LIFE PART 2

**_DING DONG DING DONG_ **

**Monokitsu (Voice):** Attention, students of Class 19! This is an announcement from your headmaster!

**Monokitsu (Voice):** It is now 7am, and as such, this marks the end of nighttime!

**Monokitsu (Voice):** So look alive, kiddos! It’s a perfect day for despair!

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

_The last thing I wanted was another reminder that we were all trapped in here._

_When I woke up, Ueno-kun was already leaving. I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower, hoping that I’d feel slightly less shitty afterwards. It worked a little bit._

_After getting dressed, I headed back to the dining hall, where Ueno-kun, Himura-san, Tsukima-san, and Takeuchi-kun were already there._

[OST: Beautiful Morning]

**Akane:** [Bright smile] Good morning! I’m glad to see you here.

**Yuudai:** Hi! Were you all able to sleep last night?

**Akane:** [Shrugs] Well enough, I suppose.

**Megami:** [Wink and smile] Same here!

**Katsu:** [Stern expression] If by sleep you mean “remaining in a perpetual state of half-consciousness until you cannot bear to remain in bed any longer, at which point, you get up”, then I would say that I slept very well.

**Kohaku:** [Writing in notebook] That...doesn’t sound healthy at all.

**Katsu:** [Neutral expression] It is of no concern, Takeuchi-shi. In fact, it is quite normal for me, even outside of this killing game.

**Kohaku:** [Fidgeting with pen] That’s even more concerning to me.

**Megami:** [Wink and smile] Speaking of sleep, and our rooms, and all that...I actually discovered something super cool!

**Akane:** [Curious expression] Oh? And what might that be, Tsukima-san?

**Megami:** [Bright smile] The rooms are totally soundproof! I tested them with Hoshi-chan last night!

**Akane:** [Sweatdrop, awkward smile] Ah. So that would explain why I heard you screaming before I went to bed.

**Yuudai:** Huh, that’s interesting.

**Katsu:** [Contemplative] Indeed. Even I did not hear Tsukima-shi, and I have very sensitive hearing.

_As we conversed, everyone else began to enter the dining hall. Well, almost everyone._

**Akane:** [Frown] Hmmmmm...it seems like Sasaki-san and Hamasaki-kun are no-shows today.

**Kazuko:** “Again? Don’t tell me they’re actually dead this time…”

**Akane:** [Sigh] No harm in checking, I suppose. I’ll be right back. Don’t cause any trouble while I’m gone.

_She seemed to especially point that statement at Kawaguchi-kun. That was understandable; he_ did _cause a goddamn explosion in the kitchen yesterday._

_Nobody really said anything of note while Himura-san was gone, even when Takeuchi-kun tried to start a discussion. Nobody really moved from their seats except for Satou-san, who went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast._

_Eventually, Himura-san returned to the dining hall alone._

**Akane:** [Frown] No dice. Neither of them wanted to come to the meeting, and no amount of pushing from me could get them to budge.

**Megami:** [Sympathetic smile] Aw, don’t feel too bad about it, Aka-chan! If they don’t wanna come, then that’s on them, not you!

**Akane:** [Smile] Thank you, Tsukima-san.

**Yuudai:** So what’s the agenda for today, Himura-san?

**Akane:** [Frown] Well...to be honest, I don’t really have one. I honestly only called this meeting to make sure everyone was still alive, and it seems like that’s the case. However, if at any point you have something to share, then by all means, knock yourself out.

_As expected, nobody had anything of note to say, other than the soundproof rooms thing. I mean, we’d already shared our findings from yesterday._

_On the other hand, at least this meeting was more pleasant than yesterday’s, and as we ate breakfast that day, we managed to get along fairly well._

**Kohaku:** If nobody has anything else to say, then it might be better if we adjourn this morning’s meeting soon.

**Akane:** [Nods] Okay. We’ll meet again at 6:30 for dinner. Is that fine?

_Everyone was in agreement._

**Akane:** In that case, you’re free to do whatever you want until then, as long as it doesn’t pertain to murder.

_We can do whatever we want, huh? Well, in this place, there’s only so much that I_ can _do. I guess I should hang out with some of the others and get to know them better._

[OST: Beautiful Days]

_FREE TIME START!_

_After breakfast, I wandered around the school grounds. I decided to enter classroom 1-B, where I found Tachibana-san, messing with her magic._

**Mitsuko:** Oh, it’s you. The fuck do you want?

_Should I spend some time with Tachibana-san?_ **_Yes_ ** _/No_

_Tachibana-san showed me her magic again. This time, she turned various objects in the classroom into insects and back. Insects aren’t really my thing, but watching her was pretty cool!_

_I think we grew a little closer...maybe._

**Yuudai:** That was...unbelievable!

**Mitsuko:** [Smirk] Well, fucking believe it! But you already do, right?

**Yuudai:** I would hope so, after you literally showed me.

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] Only an uptight know-it-all fuck would possibly have the nerve to call me a phony! [Frown] But you’re not that stupid anymore.

**Yuudai:** Are you talking about...the people who don’t think your magic is real?

**Mitsuko:** [Disgruntled] Damn right! They think just because they’ve never seen it means it isn’t fucking real! Like it’s just a fucking trick!

**Yuudai:** Weren’t you a magician before you got scouted by Hope’s Peak?

**Mitsuko:** Yeah, what of it?

**Yuudai:** I’m just curious about how you got scouted as the SHSL Witch of all things, and not the SHSL Magician?

**Mitsuko:** [Glare] Isn’t it obvious?! I suck at tricks! I’ve always used real magic, and anyone with half a functioning brain would fucking notice it!

_She really hates being accused of being a fraud. But if that’s the case, then why would she become a magician?_

**Yuudai:** This may sound like a stupid question, but how exactly did you get your magic powers in the first place? Because I’m pretty sure most people can’t do magic.

**Mitsuko:** [Prideful grin] It’s not that stupid of a question, so long as it’s about my magic. I’m not most people, Oleastro. I come from a long line of witches. And by long, I mean _really_ long. The Tachibana clan goes back hundreds of years. Through generations, our magic is passed down through the women in our family.

**Yuudai:** Wow, that's amazing! I never knew magic could be a genetic trait!

_Then again, I’m not an expert in genetics, but I digress._

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl, crossing arms] That’s because the smug dimblecunts who call themselves scientists never bothered to consider it!

_Yikes...she must really hate scientists._

**Mitsuko:** The only people who actually believe in magic are the little kids who watch me perform.

**Yuudai:** Oh, speaking of your performances...If you’re so bad at magic tricks, then how did you become a magician?

**Mitsuko:** [Dismissively] What can I say? I’m a show-off. I like the attention.

**Yuudai:** That’s fair, I guess, but why as a magician and not as, well, the witch you are?

**Mitsuko:** [Angry] Does it fucking matter?! At the end of the day, I’m still a fucking witch no matter what my job is!

_Oh shit oh fuck, I think I really pissed her off!_

**Yuudai:** Tachibana-san, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offe--

**Mitsuko:** [Crosses arms, glaring] Whatever. I don’t care.

_It sure doesn’t sound like you don’t care!_

**Yuudai:** Are you sure…?

**Mitsuko:** [Irritated] Just stop asking stupid questions before I turn you into a fucking turkey!

_We parted ways shortly after that._

_I really need to be more careful with what I say so I don’t make her mad again. But hey, that could have gone a lot worse; at least she didn’t actually turn me into a turkey!_

_Even so, I think I understand her a little better now._

_I passed the time by strolling around with no particular direction in mind. Eventually, I found myself back in the dining hall. This time, it was almost completely barren. The only person here was Takeuchi-kun, who seemed to be busy writing frantically in his notebook. For a moment, I stood there, not really knowing whether to say anything to him; after all, I didn’t want to bother him if he was busy._

_Luckily, I didn’t have to awkwardly stand there for very long, since he noticed me._

**Kohaku:** Oh, hello there, Oleastro-kun. How may I help you?

_Should I spend some time with Takeuchi-kun?_ **_Yes_ ** _/No_

**Yuudai:** Well, it’s not as though I have any actual issues per se, I was just hoping we could hang out as friends.

**Kohaku:** Ah, I see. In that case, I’d be more than happy to give you my time and undivided attention.

_Somehow I get the feeling that Takeuchi-kun still doesn’t entirely understand what I meant, but that’s fine by me. He’s just very dedicated to his talent; what’s not to respect about that?_

_Takeuchi-kun beckoned me to take a seat across from him in the dining hall, where he then proceeded to try and pick my brain, especially when it came to my feelings about the killing game. It seemed like Takeuchi-kun didn’t understand what a “casual conversation” was, but I didn’t mind talking at all. In fact, I sort of enjoyed the attention, maybe a little bit too much._

_I think we grew a little closer._

**Kohaku:** [Face buried in notebook] From what I’ve gathered, it appears that you’re having a complex emotional reaction to Monokitsu’s recent announcement. I could sense that you were angry at Monokitsu, but at the same time, worried about everyone else. That’s a very normal way to feel in a situation such as this. In fact, it appears that almost everyone here feels the same way.

**Yuudai:** I...Well, if you don’t mind, do you think we could maybe talk about something else for right now? I really don’t want to think about the idea of us killing each other any longer than I have to.

**Kohaku:** [Neutral] Of course. What is it you wish to speak about?

**Yuudai:** Let’s talk about your talent as the SHSL Counselor. I mean, I know what a counselor is, of course, but I was wondering how exactly you became one.

**Kohaku:** [Slight smile] It’s kind of a funny story. I started off in elementary school, writing an advice column in the school newspaper. If I remember correctly, it was called “Ask Amber”.

_I couldn’t help but chuckle at that._

**Yuudai:** That’s funny. It’s so on-the-nose!

**Kohaku:** [Hiding face behind notebook] I couldn’t have been older than eight when I started. Give me a break.

**Yuudai:** I’m just teasing you, Takeuchi-kun. I actually think it’s really cute.

**Kohaku:** [Writing in notebook] Oh, I see...interesting…

**Yuudai:** And then what happened? I doubt that’s all there is to the story.

**Kohaku:** [Looking up from notebook] You’d be right; it isn’t all. My advice column was such a huge success that when I was in junior high, I started actually meeting people and counseling them. I began to study psychology so that I could _really_ understand people better. That way, I could get to the root of their issues and help them.

**Yuudai:** I see...that’s really admirable. So what exactly do you specialize in?

**Kohaku:** There are various areas of counseling, like family services, outpatient mental health, and school counseling, to name a few. Counselors can also choose to work with a specific population, such as with teenagers, the incarcerated, families, and the elderly. I work in every area you could possibly imagine, with all sorts of people.

**Kohaku:** That said, I like to focus on adolescents the most.

**Yuudai:** Really? Why’s that?

[OST: Desire for Execution]

**Kohaku:** I just feel like they’re the most misunderstood age group. 

**Kohaku:** [Gazing down] They’re dismissed as just being “moody” and “angsty”, when in reality, they have problems just like adults. But nobody really takes them seriously, so they don’t feel comfortable reaching out for help. 

**Kohaku:** [Look to the side, slight grimace] Then they carry their inner turmoil into adulthood and it manifests itself in extremely unhealthy ways. And it repeats with every generation, over and over. 

**Kohaku:** [Intense] There’s no way I can just stand by and let it happen. If there’s any way I can help break that cycle, then I absolutely have to do my part.

_I didn’t realize Takeuchi-kun had such a strong sense of justice._

[OST: Beautiful Days]

**Yuudai:** I think that’s a wonderful thing, Takeuchi-kun. The world needs more people like you, I think.

**Kohaku:** [Flustered, hiding face behind notebook] You really think I’m that great?

**Yuudai:** Yeah, totally!

**Kohaku:** [Slight smile] Well, thank you, Oleastro-kun. [Fidgeting with pen] I quite enjoyed talking with you. I only wish that the next time we meet, I won’t end up making the conversation all about me.

_Huh? But I was the one asking you so many questions._

_I find it a fair bit odd that he’s so humble. Like, extremely humble. Not that I’d want him to be arrogant, but I think that considering that he managed to get into Hope’s Peak Academy, he’s earned the right to be a little bit more prideful. But I guess the fact that he’s more focused on other people than himself is the reason why he’s so good at what he does._

_I think I understand him a little better now._

_After saying goodbye to Takeuchi-kun, I left the dining hall and started strolling again._

_I ended up in the dormitory hallway, where I saw Satou-san sweeping the floor._

_Should I spend some time with Satou-san?_ **_Yes_ ** _/No_

_I felt bad just watching her do that all by herself, so from the storage closet in the gym, I grabbed a broom and started sweeping with her._

**Aiko:** [Weak smile] You don’t have to do this, Yuudai-chi.

**Yuudai:** I’m not forcing myself to do anything. Besides, is it a crime to want to spend time with my classmate?

**Aiko:** Well, when you put it like that, I can’t say I object.

_Satou-san and I swept the hallway without really saying anything. Eventually, it was clear of all dust._

_I think we grew a little closer._

**Yuudai:** This may sound like a weird question, but why did you feel the need to sweep the floor?

**Aiko:** [Slight smile] Oh, no special reason, really. I just like the mundaneness of it. It distracts me from the chaos we’re dealing with.

**Yuudai:** That’s fair, I guess…

**Aiko:** That, and I’m just used to it. After years of cleaning up after little kids, chores like this have become routine for me.

**Yuudai:** That sounds...really busy. No wonder you always look so tired.

**Aiko:** I admit, it’s exhausting. But despite how I look, I do actually enjoy it.

**Yuudai:** What about it appeals to you?

**Aiko:** [Bright smile] The kids. I just like taking care of them. I like seeing them smile when I show up. And I like getting into fun trouble with them. Of course, that means I have to clean up afterwards, but it’s worth it.

_So it’s just for the kids, huh...I can understand that._

**Yuudai:** I know what you mean, since I have like, fifteen siblings.

**Aiko:** [Shocked] _Fifteen?!_

**Yuudai:** Mhmm. Eight sisters and seven brothers. And I’m the oldest.

**Aiko:** [Slight smile] Ah, another first-born child? So of course you understand.

**Yuudai:** Yeah. What about you? How many siblings do you have?

**Aiko:** Well, I think you’d already know about one of my younger brothers, but I have two other brothers. [Sweatdrop] But to be honest, I’ve babysat a lot of other kids, and they all kinda feel like younger siblings to me.

**Yuudai:** I see...are you worried about them?

[OST: All All Apologies]

**Aiko:** [Grimace] Th-That’s...I…

_Oh no...did I touch a nerve?_

**Aiko:** [Looking to the side] Of course I am. You know, when I got my letter from Hope’s Peak Academy, I considered turning them down. I couldn’t bear to leave the kids behind. 

**Aiko:** [Serious expression] But my brothers pushed me to attend. They assured me that they’d be just fine, even if I went. 

**Aiko:** [Grimace] But I never thought something like this would happen. That I’d have to live here, knowing that I might never see them again. What are those boys going to do without their big sis?

_Those kids really do mean everything to Satou-san…_

[OST: Beautiful Days]

**Aiko:** [Wide smile] But I really shouldn’t be thinking such depressing thoughts. I still have hope that we’ll make it out of here.

**Aiko:** Besides, I have no intention of killing someone just to get out of here. [Chuckling] I also have to set a good example for the others.

_That’s a good way to look at it. To have such a positive outlook, even though she’s really worried...it’s really admirable._

_I think I understand her a little better now._

_FREE TIME END_

**Aiko:** [Checking e-handbook] Ah! It’s getting late. We should get back to the dining hall.

**Yuudai:** Right! We can’t leave Himura-san hanging!

[OST: Beautiful Dead]

_Satou-san and I went back to the dining hall. Himura-san, Tsukima-san, Ueno-kun, Rani-san, and even Sasaki-san were all there._

**Yuudai:** Oh, Sasaki-san...what a nice surprise!

**Hoshiko:** [Cold stare] Don’t get the wrong idea, Oleastro. I’m not here to be chummy and sappy. I’m just hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.

**Aiko:** [Neutral] I’ll get dinner ready right away.

_Satou-san made a beeline for the kitchen._

_Here’s hoping no other incidents will occur today._

**Rani:** [Grin] Yay, Yuudai’s here! It’s real’ lonely with only Hoshiko-yogisha to nerd out ‘bout L-I-N-G-U-I-S-T-I-C-S with!

**Yuudai:** _Dios mio…_ What did Sasaki-san do this time?

**Rani:** Oh, ya referring to th’honorific? [Shrugs] ‘S justa piss her off after she called me a lazy S-L-O-B, just ‘cuz I don’ study ‘nuff, according ta _her_!

**Hoshiko:** [Scowl] She’s trying to tell me she gets straight A’s without studying for them. Hell, she doesn’t even do her damn homework! It’s not fair!

**Rani:** [Angry] It ain’t my fault I’m a G-E-N-I-U-S!

_This...Is this seriously what they’re arguing about? And here I thought for a moment I would end up walking in on a murder waiting to happen._

_I couldn’t help myself. All I could do was laugh._

**Rani:** [Pout] Hey! What’s so funny to ya?!

**Kohaku:** [Twirls pen with curious expression] And whatever is the joke about? I hope I’m not missing out on anything.

_Takeuchi-kun entered the dining hall while I was in the midst of laughing my ass off, which was kinda embarrassing, not gonna lie._

**Yuudai:** Um! So! Rani-san and Sasaki-san were arguing over academic stuff.

**Kohaku:** [Writing in notebook] Oh? Tell me more.

**Yuudai:** So, Sasaki-san called Rani-san a lazy slob because she gets straight A’s without even trying, and then Rani-san gave Sasaki-san a silly honorific in retaliation. That’s just from what I’ve heard.

**Akane:** [Amused smile] I, for one, welcome petty arguments. They’re far less dangerous than serious arguments, after all.

**Katsu:** [Sweatdrop] If I may try my hand at this “petty arguing”... [Serious expression] Oleastro-shi. Monokitsu left you a hairbrush, so why do you look like you have been electrocuted?

**Yuudai:** Why would I use a hairbrush? Like, why would I ever subject myself to that kind of torture?

**Kohaku:** [Twirls pen with curious expression] Do you, by any chance, suffer from capillussetisohobia, Oleastro-kun?

**Megami:** [Grimace] Big words make my brain hurt…

**Rani:** [Bright expression] C-A-P-I-L-L-U-S-S-E-T-I-S just means “hairbrush”! ‘S from the word “capillus”, meanin’ “hair”, and “setis”, meanin’ “brush”! E-Z!

**Hoshiko:** [Neutral] You didn’t even spell “easy” correctly.

**Rani:** Oh, hush! It ain’t important!

**Megami:** [Wink and smile] Hey hey hey! Yuu-chan, have you ever tried wearing your hair in a manbun?

**Yuudai:** No???

**Megami:** [Sparkly eyes] You should try it! It’ll look soooooo cute!

_This meeting ended up going a lot better than anyone would have expected. For an evening, nobody thought of murder or escape, and as the rest of the class trickled into the dining hall, we just talked over dinner about nothing in particular. I felt like a teenager for the first time since we got here. Hell, I daresay I even felt like everything would be okay._

**Mitsuko:** [Annoyed] Oh my fucking god, Kenta, stop playing with your food!

**Kenta:** [Serious expression] Then what, pray tell, must I utilize for my amusement here? My dear Himura-san surely would not approve of the swords at the table.

**Akane:** [Amusedly] No. No I would not.

**Mitsuko:** [Flicking Kenta’s forehead] ...Whatever. Play with your food like a fucking toddler for all I care.

**Kenta:** [Cheerful expression] I knew I could make you see the light, Mitsu! [Finger guns] Ha!

**Mitsuko:** [Smirks] You simple moron...

**Haruna:** [Lightly bonking me on the head] Oleastroooooooooo? You in there?

_Inoue-san had appeared and sat across from me. Like with Takeuchi-kun yesterday, I didn’t even see her coming._

**Yuudai:** Oh...Inoue-san, did you need something?

**Haruna:** [Eyes widen] Um, well...You know, normally I’d talk to someone like Takeuchi about this, but I feel like you know me better, since we’ve hung out more, and…

_She trailed off._

**Yuudai:** What is it, Inoue-san?

**Haruna:** [Serious expression] Oleastro...do you think I’m annoying?

**Yuudai:** No, not at all! But where exactly is this coming from??

**Haruna:** [Gazing down] You know how I do that thing, where I drag the people around me wherever I go?

**Yuudai:** Uhh...yeah??? And???

**Haruna:** I didn’t mean any harm by it, but sometimes I can get a little bit carried away, and...I think I really made Sasaki angry.

**Yuudai:** I wouldn’t really take anything she says personally. She’s...not really the friendliest person in our class...And besides, she probably thinks everyone’s annoying.

**Haruna:** And _you_ don’t think it was annoying?

**Yuudai:** Honestly, it _was_ a bit much, but it’s not a big deal to me. It doesn’t bother me no matter how much you do it. That said, other people might not feel the same way as me, so keep that in mind.

**Haruna:** [Grin] Ha! I didn’t expect you to say something like that! That’s why I like you, yanno? You’re always so full of surprises!

**Yuudai:** Heh...I’m glad you think I’m interesting. I do try very hard not to be boring.

**Haruna:** I don’t think you have to try very hard at all!

**Yuudai:** You think so?

**Haruna:** [Grin, thumbs up] Of course! Just like you know I’m not annoying, I know you’re super cool! So I’m definitely gonna take your advice!

_Aww, she’s so sweet. I almost don’t regret coming here._

_But I didn’t let myself think pessimistically again. This time, I rejoiced over the fact that we weren’t giving Monokitsu what he wanted._

_The rest of dinner was rather uneventful, thankfully. And as I made my way back to my room, I didn’t feel the crushing weight of this killing game on my shoulders. Hell, not even Monokitsu’s unbearably annoying voice could bring my mood down._

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MONOKITSU THEATER

**Monokitsu:** Everyone always thinks of themselves as the protagonist of the story.

**Monokitsu:** But let’s be real here: nobody’s reeeeally at the center of their own story.

**Monokitsu:** You just exist!

**Monokitsu:** Sometimes you get to do things, and sometimes things happen to you!

**Monokitsu:** But at the end of the day, you’re born! You live! And then you die!

**Monokitsu:** Wow! That was unusually philosophical of me!

**Monokitsu:** Maybe it’s because I’m suuuuuuuper bored, ‘cuz nobody’s died yet!

**Monokitsu:** Or maybe I’m just salty that I’m the star of this killing game and I’ve barely gotten any screen time!

**Monokitsu:** For fuck’s sake, Author-chan, shine the spotlight on me goddammit!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some silly light-hearted stuff to get your palates ready for the main course. Hoo. That sounded a lot less fucked up in my head.
> 
> Anywho, next update will have FTEs for Rani, Kenta, and Kazuko, so stay tuned for that!


	6. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Daily Life Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daily Life continues. So far, everything's been nice and peaceful, much to Monokitsu's dismay. 
> 
> Free Time will be spent with Rani, Kenta, and Kazuko.

##### DAILY LIFE PART 3

**_DING DONG DING DONG_ **

**Monokitsu (Voice):** Attention, students of Class 19! This is an announcement from your headmaster!

**Monokitsu (Voice):** It is now 7am, and as such, this marks the end of nighttime!

**Monokitsu (Voice):** So look alive, kiddos! It’s a perfect day for despair!

_I’ve never not wanted to throw something at the monitor and speaker in this room since I first came here, but that day, I woke up to a day I felt would be better than the last. For once, I slept and I actually felt rested by the morning._

[OST: Beautiful Morning]

_The atmosphere in this school felt a little less oppressive as I made my way to the dining hall. And as the usual crew entered the dining hall, I noticed that they all looked a little lighter, and our greetings felt less forced._

**Akane:** [Smile] I’m glad to see you’re all looking well.

**Megami:** Before anyone says anything, Hoshi-chan’s fine.

**Akane:** [Nods] And I paid Hamasaki-kun a visit. He’s very much alive.

**Haruna:** [Bright expression] So that means everyone’s still alive?! [Grin] Suck it, Monobitch!

**Shinobu:** [Nervous, tugging ponytail] Sh-Shut up! Don’t say his name! You’ll j-jinx it!

_Thankfully, Monokitsu didn’t show up and ruin our morning._

_Breakfast was relatively uneventful, or well, as much as it could be with these people._

**Aiko:** [Playful expression] You give me so much to do, Shinobu-chi.

_Currently, Kawaguchi-kun had a mountain of food on his plate so high I couldn’t even see his face._

**Shinobu:** I c-can’t help it! I have a rapid m-metabolism! I-If I don’t eat every c-couple of hours, I’ll die!

**Aiko:** I know, I know. I don’t mind doing any of this, as long as everyone is comfortable.

**Kazuko:** [Bright smile] “I feel like you don’t get enough appreciation for what you do, Satou-san. So thanks!”

**Aiko:** [Patting Kazuko on the head] It’s no problem. I do what I must.

**Kenta:** [Cheerful] One could grow accustomed to this unconventional school life. God’s in his heaven; all’s right with the world!

**Akane:** [Smile] I can’t say I disagree with that, Shimizu-kun.

**Aiko:** [Softer expression] All we needed to do was adapt to our environment. We’re doing okay right now.

**Akane:** And I don’t think we really need to discuss anything in particular, so I’ll let you all do whatever you want. Of course, no murdering anybody, and try to get back here by 6:30.

_Once again, I’m free to do whatever I want. What should I do today?_

[OST: Beautiful Days]

_FREE TIME START!_

_I decided to take a stroll through the hallway until I found myself in Classroom 1-A. I found Rani-san sitting at a desk, flipping through a book._

**Rani:** [Smile and wave] Hey, Yuudai! Come check this out!

_Should I spend some time with Rani-san?_ **_Yes_ ** _/No_

_We looked through an etymology book together. We were both pretty into it because of our shared love of language._

_I think we grew a little closer._

**Yuudai:** Say...How did you get into etymology of all things?

**Rani:** [Bright expression] Ah! Now _that’s_ a story. So, have ya ever attended school ‘n A-M-E-R-I-C-A?

**Yuudai:** I think I spent about a year in Michigan, yeah.

**Rani:** O-K, so when I was in elementary school, my school held a spelling bee. I wanna say I was ‘bout eight?

**Rani:** I had ta memorize the way words were spelled, in dictionaries ‘n stuff. An’ I ended up winnin’.

**Rani:** [Excited expression] But then! Once I got ta regionals, I had ta start learnin’ the R-O-O-T-S o’words so I could spell ‘em myself, since the judges’ll eventually stop givin’ ya words from a list.

**Rani:** [Awkward smile] An’ I kiiiiiiinda fell down a rabbit hole, so ta speak. I sorta ended up pickin’ up a few languages, but I can’t pronounce shit!

_Huh...that’s actually a really interesting origin story._

**Yuudai:** I mean, your Japanese is pretty good.

**Rani:** [Shrugs] Then again, Japanese has easy P-H-O-N-I-C-S.

**Yuudai:** That’s true…

**Rani:** But ya know what I really wanna do?

**Yuudai:** What exactly?

**Rani:** I wanna write a N-O-V-E-L! [Excited expression] If we get outta this hellhole, I’m gonna do that!

**Yuudai:** _When_ we get out of here.

**Rani:** Ya really think we’ll S-U-R-V-I-V-E?

**Yuudai:** I certainly hope we do! And I think it’s a good idea to have something to look forward to!

**Rani:** [Smile, thumbs up] I guess ya have a point!

_It’s good that Rani-san has a dream she wants to fulfill, a real reason to survive._

_I think I understand her a little better now._

_After parting ways with Rani-san, I wandered aimlessly around the school until I found myself in the gymnasium. Shimizu-kun was there by himself._

**Kenta:** [Cheerful expression] Ah, Oleastro-kun, how wonderful of you to slay the monster that is solitude!

_Should I spend some time with Shimizu-kun?_ **_Yes_ ** _/No_

**Kenta:** I am in the throes of perfecting my newest routine! [Smirk] I hope you feel like a lucky man, because no eyes have beheld such unprecedented magnificence!

_I watched Shimizu-kun practice his latest routine. A part of me was horrified at seeing him swallow multiple swords, but I reminded myself that he was a professional, and that he knew what he was doing. It was one of the most impressive things I’d ever seen, and I’ve seen actual, literal magic!_

_I think we grew a little closer._

**Yuudai:** How...How the hell do you do that?!

**Kenta:** [Jazz hands] Magic!

_...Huh?!_

**Kenta:** [Smirk] ...Is what I would say if I were Mitsu. But I’m Kenta!

**Yuudai:** That doesn’t answer my question, though…

**Kenta:** Patience, patience! Good things come to those who wait!

**Kenta:** But, at thy request, I shall give you the answer you seek.

**Kenta:** [Serious expression] To conquer the sword or be conquered by the sword…’tis not a battle to be fought on the field...but inside of you.

_That’s...awfully vague, and I’m not sure if it’s because of his dialect or if it’s deliberate on his part._

**Yuudai:** Beg pardon?

**Kenta:** To put it simply, one does not simply put a sword inside oneself and live to tell the tale.

**Yuudai:** Oh, so you’re saying it’s super dangerous?

**Kenta:** I believe that is what I’ve said.

**Yuudai:** Well, I knew that already! What _I’m_ trying to ask is, how do you do it without throwing up? Or, like, stabbing yourself by accident?

**Kenta:** [Sly grin] To tell you the truth, I’ve had both of those misfortunes befall me when I was a young lad.

**Yuudai:** Oh god...Wait, how old _were_ you when you first started sword swallowing for the circus?

**Kenta:** [Contemplative] Hmmmmm...Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...I believe I was roughly half the man I am today.

_Hardly anything he says even makes sense in the first place, but if I try to translate this into something I can actually understand…_

**Yuudai:** So if you’re around sixteen...you were only eight?!

**Kenta:** [Grin] Exactly!

**Yuudai:** ...And your parents were okay with something like this?

**Kenta:** [Frowns] That is a tale I would love to tell someday...but for now I leave you with this: thicker than water blood may be, but water cannot leave a stain.

_He’s doing that thing again, where he speaks in vague riddles...but I get the feeling that I shouldn’t press the issue. At least, not until he feels like telling me what it is exactly._

**Kenta:** [Cheerful] Your company shall be sorely missed, until we meet again!

_Shimizu-kun sure loves being vague and speaking in riddles._

_But despite that, I think I understand him a little better now._

_I left the gymnasium and went back to my room. Looking at the time, I realized that I still had a little more time left in the day. I figured that I should spend it well._

_I left my room and wandered around the school until I found myself in the courtyard. I found Koizumi-san sitting on the dried out well, letting the sun shine down on her. When she saw me, she turned her head and waved at me before pulling out her e-handbook and typing furiously._

**Kazuko:** [Lazy smile] “This is the only spot in the facility that doesn’t feel like prison.”

_Should I spend some time with Koizumi-san?_ **_Yes_ ** _/No_

**Kazuko:** [Cheerful smile] “I’d love to spend time with you! There isn’t very much to do here, but as long as my company is interesting, then that’s all that matters.”

_I spent some time chatting with Koizumi-san. At first, it was a bit awkward, since we didn’t really know what to say, but once we got into it, she seemed to be a lot more lively, especially when she was talking about her talent._

_I think we grew a little closer._

**Kazuko:** [Curious] “Have you heard some of the rumors surrounding me?”

**Yuudai:** I think so...they say you’ve never spoken a single word in your life. Is that true?

**Kazuko:** [Sweatdrop] “I...wouldn’t say that. But it _has_ been a very long time since I was able to speak.”

**Yuudai:** Since you were able to speak? What do you mean?

**Kazuko:** “Well, you see, I used to be quite a chatterbox when I was a little kid. Actually, I used to want to be a stage actress. But now I don’t have a voice anymore.”

**Kazuko:** “Oh, and when I say I don’t have a voice, I mean I literally don’t have a voice.”

**Yuudai:** You mean you don’t have vocal chords...or something?

**Kazuko:** [Awkward smile] “Yeah, basically.”

**Kazuko:** “The gist of it is that I had a tumor in my throat, and I had to get it removed surgically. And that permanently ruined my vocal chords.”

**Yuudai:** Yikes…

**Kazuko:** “But it’s okay, because I can express myself just fine, even without my e-handbook.”

**Yuudai:** Is that the reason you became a mime?

**Kazuko:** “Part of it…”

**Yuudai:** What’s your other reason?

**Kazuko:** “Well, when I’m not performing or talking one-on-one with someone, I’m very shy, and I don’t stand out.”

_That’s...not untrue. Most of the time, she stays by Satou-san’s side. On top of that, she doesn’t really speak up that much. This conversation is the first time I feel like I’m starting to get to know her._

**Kazuko:** [Cheeky grin] “Well, there _is_ one thing about me that stands out.”

**Yuudai:** And that is…?

**Kazuko:** “My name! Well, my given name, to be precise. It hasn’t been popular in like, a hundred years! Don’t you think it’s more of an old-lady name than a teenage mime name?”

**Yuudai:** You’re not wrong. It’s a good name, don’t get me wrong, but a pretty old name, as far as I know.

**Kazuko:** “I used to hate it growing up, but it makes me stand out, so I’ve never really had a hard time making a name for myself, so to speak.”

_So that’s her motivation: standing out._

**Yuudai:** I think you do a good job of that.

**Kazuko:** [Happy] “Really? Aww, you flatter me!” [Excited] “That could be your alternate talent: SHSL Flatterer!”

**Yuudai:** It’s true! I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.

**Kazuko:** [Awkwardly scratches head] “Heh...I guess you’re right…”

_She doesn’t seem to be very certain of herself. That’s odd. I guess she’s good at projecting charisma since she’s a certain type of actress, and she truly loves what she does, but she doesn’t seem to have a lot of confidence in herself._

_Still, I think I understand her a little better now._

_FREE TIME END_

**Kazuko:** [Tapping my shoulder] “It’s time! We need to go back.”

[OST: Beautiful Dead]

_Koizumi-san and I walked back to the dining hall together. Surprisingly, everyone else was there, even Sasaki-san and Hamasaki-kun, and I don’t think the latter had ever shown up to a meeting after the first morning one._

_Maybe this means that we’ve truly succeeded in not giving Monokitsu what he wants._

_Everyone’s greetings were relatively friendly, and it was as though we were just normal high school students bonding over a meal._

_Until the next few seconds._

[OST: Mr. Monokuma’s Lesson]

**Monokitsu:** Fufufufufu~...

_The atmosphere seemed to do a complete 180 shift when he appeared._

**Monokitsu:** [Exasperated] It’s been three whole days and you’re all still alive?! This is just soooooo booooooooring!

**Akane:** [Scowl] What the hell do you want with us now?

**Monokitsu:** [Neutral] Well, you see, I’ve provided you with two out of the three necessary conditions for a murder: means and opportunity! But...I guess escaping this facility isn’t a good enough motive for you brats! [Grin] So I’m gonna give you a real motive!

**Kohaku:** [Curious expression] And what you possibly give us that will drive us to kill someone?

**Monokitsu:** [Belly laugh with red eye twinking] Fufufufufu~...Ahahahahaha! You’ll see in juuuuust a few seconds. 

[OST: None]

**Monokitsu:** Or rather... _you’ll feel it_.

_At first, I didn’t know what Monokitsu meant by that. But a few moments later, I understood._

[OST: Rise of the Ultimate]

_The gravity of the situation fell down on me and tainted the air in my lungs. It happened swiftly, with no warning or explanation. The area, and all my classmates, around me warped and blurred and I choked up. My face felt wet, and I couldn’t tell if it was sweat or my own tears. My hands shook uncontrollably. I dug my nails into my palms to try and still them, but to no avail._

_I heard the reaper cackling from right above us, and I knew that there was no hope. There never was any hope for survival in a killing game; it was just a matter of dying sooner than we ever would have imagined._

_My head pounded, and I doubled over in pain as nausea pulsed through my body. This was more than the simple anxiety and fear I’d been trying to pretend I didn’t feel. This was a feeling that could only be described as despair._

**Yuudai:** Wh-what...the hell... _is_ this…?!

_Each word I uttered took all the strength I had to force out, as though I were trying to maneuver a body that wasn’t mine._

**Monokitsu:** [Wicked grin] I’m mighty glad you asked, Yuudai-kun~! This is the motive I was talking about!

_I lifted my head and blinked, letting everything come back into focus. I immediately regretted it once I saw everyone else._

_Inoue-san dug her nails into the table until they broke and bled, leaving pink streaks on the surface. Satou-san clenched and unclenched her fists, sobbing as her head hung low, but didn’t quite touch the table. Koizumi-san clung to her, weeping soundlessly. Kawaguchi-kun clasped his hands over his mouth and was evidently looking for a place to throw up. Tachibana-san screamed and swore at Monokitsu, while Shimizu-kun stared solemnly into the distance, not saying anything._

_Kurosawa-kun chanted something ominously under his breath, with his eyebags looking more pronounced than I’d ever seen them before. Sasaki-san remained eerily still and hunched over the table, covering her face. Himura-san’s resolve seemed to completely crumble, as she shook violently, trying and failing to keep her emotions at bay. She sobbed, bursting into another coughing fit. Hamasaki-kun’s cold glare seemed to be trying to pierce right through Monokitsu’s lack of a soul._

_Ueno-kun stood up, shaking with either pure panic or rage; for a moment, I wondered if he was going to launch his chair right at Monokitsu’s head. Tsukima-san twitched, stretching her lopsided grin so that it wrapped around her ears twice over. Rani-san’s expression seemed to grow dark, almost as if a shadow had fallen over her face. And Takeuchi-kun just shut his eyes and let out an extended sigh, his expression unreadable; though, if I’d listened hard enough, I could have heard his breath hitching._

_All the while, the air felt heavier, like it was cloaked in pure sinisterness._

**Monokitsu:** [Wicked grin; cackling] Fufufufu~, now _this_ is where the real fun starts!

**Kohaku:** [Stare; gripping pen] What have you...done to us…?

**Monokitsu:** [Neutral] You feel it, don’t you? It’s stronger than ever before, right? [Cackling] Ahahahahaha! Human emotions are so malleable! I love this!

**Akane:** [Intense glare] _Th-This_ is your way of forcing us to kill?! Infecting us...using a fucking neurotoxin in the air?!

**Monokitsu:** [Sparkling eyes] Ah! You figured it out, Himura-san! I guess your toxicology hobby _finally_ came in handy!

_Toxin?! He’s using actual chemicals to make us commit a murder?!_

**Akane:** [Eyes widen] What?! [Snarl] ...Th-This isn’t going to work on us. No matter what you poison us with...you’ll never be able to make us kill each other!

**Monokitsu:** [Inquisitive] Whaaaaaaaaaaat?! I’m not _making_ you kill anyone. I’m just nurturing the murderous intent that’s inside each and every one of you! I like to call this concoction the Despair Toxin!

_That...That sounds exactly like making us kill!_

**Mitsuko:** [Livid] Fuck you, you stupid fucking animatronic PIECE OF SHIT!

_Oh shit oh fuck, Tachibana-san was even angrier. I worried that she might try to attack Monokitsu yet again. And this time, Monokitsu wouldn’t show her mercy._

_Thankfully, Tachibana-san never got the chance to try, as Shimizu-kun wrapped his arms around her, holding her back._

**Kenta:** [Solemn] Don’t do it, Mitsuko. I won’t let the devil snatch you away.

**Mitsuko:** [Frown] I’m not gonna get myself killed, you stupid moron… [Puzzled] How is your grip so tight? I thought your arms still hurt like hell.

**Kenta:** [Weak smile] They do, but not as much as this motive.

**Monokitsu:** [Lewd grin] Awww, trying to stop your girlfriend from succumbing to the motive? How cute~. But it’s only a matter of time before a body drops!

**Izumi:** [Cold] If you have no further business with us, then take your leave and let us be.

**Monokitsu:** Okii doki, but I don’t see a body in the next two days, then I’m upping the dosage~!

_Monokitsu fucked off, leaving us to stew in despair._

**Akane:** [Frowns] Hmmmmmmmmmmm…

_Himura-san muttered something under her breath that I wasn’t able to catch._

**Akane:** [Strained expression] I-I’ll...be right back…

_She then suddenly ran out of the dining hall._

_I looked around at my surroundings, which were more drab-looking than before. Was this really the place where I was going to die? Without ever seeing my friends or family again? Was it worth it to try and kill someone here just to get out of this hellhole?_

_Stop it, Yuudai! How dare you?! What kind of person would steal someone else’s life just to save their own? How could you even think of throwing your classmates under the bus?_

_I wanted to cry, but there was no way I would do it here, in front of everyone._

_Suddenly, I heard the dining hall door swing open._

[OST: Despair-Syndrome]

**Akane:** [Determined] I return!

_Himura-san entered, holding a handful of...surgical masks?_

**Akane:** I got all these from the infirmary. I thought they might help out a little bit. [Grin] N95 respirators, baby!

**Kohaku:** [Curious expression] Oh, to help protect against the Despair Toxin?

**Akane:** [Nods] I figured that in order to spread the toxin around to hit each of us, it had to be airborne. So I looked inside the infirmary for something to combat that.

_She gave half of them to Takeuchi-kun._

**Akane:** Put it on as soon as you receive it. You wouldn’t want to breathe in the Despair Toxin any more than you already have.

_Takeuchi-kun and Himura-san put theirs on and then began to distribute the masks._

_At least some of us have their shit together…_

_Suddenly, I felt a sharp tapping on my shoulder. I looked over to see Takeuchi-kun tapping me with his pen while holding a mask in his other hand._

**Kohaku:** [Slight frown] I keep telling you to pay attention to your surroundings. If you don’t, you’ll get hurt. Now take this; don’t breathe in any more of this stuff.

_Shit, I keep making him worry. Don’t be so selfish, Yuudai. You’re not the only one who’s suffering._

_I took the mask from Takeuchi-kun and put it on without saying anything._

**Kohaku:** [Neutral] Remember what I told you a couple of days ago: don’t let your negative emotions fester.

**Yuudai:** I’m not going to kill anyone.

_That came out a little bit sharper than I’d intended._

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] Okay.

_And then he left to hand out the rest of the masks._

_All I could think about was how much this motive sucked, how much I wanted all of these intense emotions to just go away, and how much I wanted to go home._

_But everyone else was trying their best to stay strong. Even if someone else was already thinking of murder, I couldn’t let myself go down that path. I then made a mental note to stay away from the infirmary, the vault, the gym, the courtyard, and the kitchen._

_Whew, that’s a lot of places to avoid._

**Akane:** [Checking e-handbook] Shit, it’s almost nighttime. Before I adjourn this meeting, I’d like to propose that we create a new rule for ourselves to follow. It’s not necessarily something I can force you to do, but could we all have an agreement to stay in our rooms during nighttime?

**Hoshiko:** [Looking away] It’s to...to avoid anyone taking advantage of the night to murder someone, right? I...I don’t have anything better to do, so I guess I can get behind it.

**Akane:** [Eyes widen] Oh? [Smile] That’s great! I’m glad you’re onboard with the nighttime rule, Sasaki-san.

_To be honest, I didn’t think Sasaki-san would agree with_ anything _if Himura-san said it. But maybe the motive gave her a different perspective? Honestly, either way I’m fine with it. If we all cooperate as best we can, maybe this place will be ever so slightly less of a living hell. Or not. This whole situation blows, and someone might even be planning to kill someone for all we know._

**Megami:** [Wide grin] That’s a great idea, Aka-chan~!

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] That does seem like a good idea at a time like this.

**Aiko:** [Wiping eyes] I...I agree. If it’ll keep everyone safe…

**Izumi:** [Cold stare] I don’t have a problem with it. It’s not like there’s anywhere else I want to be.

_Pretty much everyone seemed to be in agreement. Well, almost everyone._

**Haruna:** [Clenches fists] We have to stay cooped up in this hellhole? I want out!

**Akane:** [Sigh] I know you want out, Inoue-san. That’s our current goal. The nighttime rule is simply to guarantee everyone’s safety. [Stern expression] Right now, we’re in a potentially dangerous situation, and I’m doing all I can to try and prevent a murder.

**Shinobu:** [Nervous, grabbing ponytail] D-do we have to stay in there the whole n-night? What if I get the m-midnight munchies?!

**Aiko:** [Tired expression] The pantry won’t be running out of food anytime soon. You can just raid it and keep your snacks in your room.

**Katsu:** [Furrowed eyebrows] I would find it quite difficult to sleep at night. But I would not care to disturb the peace simply for that reason.

**Rani:** ‘S no big deal if ya ask me! [Looking down] I don’t wanna D-I-E.

**Akane:** [Frown] Like I said, I can’t properly enforce this rule. So could we try and make that promise to each other?

**Yuudai:** I don’t see why we shouldn’t.

_Even if some of us weren’t so keen on being cooped up here, especially after the motive, none of us really had it in ourselves to properly object. Besides, this was for everyone’s sake. Nighttime was all but asking us to commit murder. If we stayed in our rooms, then maybe, just maybe, we could prevent anyone from dying for now. That’s what I tried to convince myself of. I wasn’t sure how effective that was._

**Akane:** If nobody has any objections, then this meeting is adjourned. [Eyes widen] Oh! I just realized something. Takeuchi-kun, Satou-san, can you stay back for just a couple of minutes?

_Huh? I wonder what that’s all about._

_But I wasn’t in the mood to stoke my curiosity, so I simply went back to my room._

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

_Even though the mask filtered out some of the Despair Toxin, the effects of what I’d already breathed in still lingered._

_It was laughable, really. Today had promised some hint of hope in this killing game, that we could resist Monokitsu as long as we could and then try to find some way out of here._

_But I had let myself be deluded into thinking that we would survive. There was no hope in a killing game. There was simply the matter of killing and being killed, and what you, at the center of it all, would do._

_I couldn’t hold my tears in any longer, so I silently cried into my pillow._

[OST: None]

**_DING DONG DING DONG_ **

**Monokitsu (voice):** Attention, students of Class 19! This is an announcement from your headmaster!

**Monokitsu (voice):** It is now 10PM, and as such, nighttime has officially begun!

**Monokitsu (voice):** Soon, certain restrictions will be placed on parts of the school.

**Monokitsu (voice):** Sweet dreams, everyone, and get ready for a despairingly beautiful day tomorrow!

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

_The only one I wanted to kill in this place was that stupid fucking fox, for locking us in here and making us play this cruel game. How ironic, really, that the only one I wanted dead was the only one we were all forbidden to kill. What had the rest of us done to deserve this? And did Monokitsu really believe that we all had murderous intent buried deep inside of us?_

_At this point, only time could tell._

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MONOKITSU THEATER

**Monokitsu:** If you think about, humans are the most narcissistic species on Earth!

**Monokitsu:** They think the world is theirs for the taking, and always feel the need to be at the top!

**Monokitsu:** And they’re so stuck in their world views!

**Monokitsu:** They can’t even entertain the thought that they might be wrong!

**Monokitsu:** That’s why it’s my duty to pull their heads out of their asses and make them see reality!

**Monokitsu:** It takes a clever fox like me to show them who they really are~!

**Monokitsu:** Just dogs eating dogs to survive! Ahahahahahaha!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, motive time! I know it's kind of an odd motive, but I felt like trying something new, and I feel like this sort of motive is what fits best thematically.
> 
> The first death is nigh. Who do you think will be the first to die?


	7. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Daily Life Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the motive in place, everyone tries their best to cope. But it's only a matter of time before someone succumbs to the motive.

##### DAILY LIFE PART 4

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

_I drifted in and out of sleep last night. The Despair Toxin that I’d breathed in before had managed to infect my brain with horrific nightmares. Most of them revolved around me dying in this killing game in terrible, brutal ways. Sometimes, my dreams were about the people I cared about most, though I didn’t like to think too much about those._

_Finally, my eyes shot open. For a moment, my head spun, swirling the images of my dreams in my mind until they fizzled away._

_The first thing I noticed was that the morning announcement didn’t play. I fumbled for my e-handbook to check the time. 6:27 AM. I looked over to Ueno-kun’s side of the room and saw that he was still asleep._

_Weird...Never thought I’d see the day that I’d wake up before him._

_Nighttime wasn’t quite over, but I didn’t know what to do at this time. I felt weariness right down to my bones, as though I hadn’t slept a wink. But I didn’t want to go back to having more nightmares. I supposed curling up on my bed in the silence of the early morning wasn’t so bad._

_Suddenly, I saw Ueno-kun wake with a jolt. He shot up, holding a hand to his head. Under the light of my e-handbook, I noticed that his right ear was exposed, and it was slightly nicked. He must have noticed that I was no longer asleep, as he turned to me._

**Katsu:** [Eyes narrowed] ...You as well, I presume?

_He must be talking about the toxin-induced nightmares._

**Yuudai:** Yeah...This motive sucks.

**Katsu:** [Sharp nod] That it does. But no point in wallowing over it. [Holding hand to head] All we can do at this point is put on a mask and tough it out for the time being.

**Yuudai:** Heh, nice play on words there.

**Katsu:** [Slight smirk] Not intended, but thank you kindly, Oleastro-shi.

_He then took a copy of his outfit and went to the bathroom._

_After he was done, I forced myself to take a shower. When I got out, I didn’t even bother to dry my hair, much less finger comb it. Wearing my mask, I left my room and dragged my feet to the dining hall._

[OST: Despair-Syndrome]

_When I got to the dining hall, the first thing I noticed was that Himura-san wasn’t there. That’s odd; if anyone would be here I’d have expected her. In fact, the only one here was Tsukima-san._

**Megami:** [Wink] Hey hey~! If you’re looking for Aka-chan, she’s in the kitchen with Ai-chan!

_Tsukima-san seemed to be as chipper as ever, despite the fact that the toxin was still in the air._

**Katsu:** [Raises eyebrow] Oh? And whatever might she be doing in there?

**Megami:** She didn’t say. She just told me to stay here and wait for the other to come in! Said she didn’t want to ruin the surprise.

**Yuudai:** But what if someone were to come in and kill yo--

_I then realized what I was saying and mentally slapped myself. What the hell? That was fucked up._

**Yuudai:** S-Sorry, just forget about that.

**Megami:** Motive making you upset? [Grabs my hands] Don’t sweat it! It’ll all be okay~! We’re all in this together, so you don’t have to brood alone! [Pokes my forehead] Besides, I already told you: worrying too much will give you wrinkles!

_Surely this motive must be affecting her, too, right? So then why does she look as composed as ever? How is she able to smile at a time like this?_

_I simply nodded._

**Megami:** [Grabs Katsu’s hands] That goes for you too, Katchan! You’ll only get wrinkles if you worry so much, and your muscles will get stiff! That can’t be good for someone like you, now can it?

**Katsu:** [Eyebrows raised] A-Ah, well, your suggestion has been noted, Tsukima-shi.

**Megami:** [Giggles] Heh, you two are adorable~! We’ll all be fine; nobody’s gonna kill anyone~!

_I still don’t get how she’s so chipper, almost seemingly unaffected. But I suppose that everyone copes with situations in different ways; besides, it’d be a lot worse if everyone was down._

_The three of us watched as some of the others began to trickle into the dining hall. Despite the fact that they were wearing their masks, I could immediately tell that they’d been greatly affected by the Despair Toxin._

_Shimizu-kun’s usual grandiose personality seemed to be a lot more exaggerated, as if he had drunk 5 cups of coffee and didn’t sleep the whole night. Tachibana-san looked even more pissed off and done with everyone’s shit than usual. And Takeuchi-kun just looked blank and empty._

**Kenta:** [Twirling around] Look alive, friends! ‘Tis but another day of sun in this cozy abode!

_I noticed that he was wearing very noticeable mascara. Usually, it was subtle, so subtle that I wouldn’t have even noticed it unless I was really looking at him. And the way he was acting...it was so exaggerated that it was honestly kinda unsettling._

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] Oh, shut up, you. Fucking drunken-ass son of a bitch.

_Yikes...better not piss her off today._

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] It appears that everyone is looking well.

**Mitsuko:** [Snarls] Take a fucking hint, shrink.

**Kohaku:** [Blinks once] That was an attempt at sarcasm.

_Wow, this is just sad._

_I checked the time. 7:27AM. Normally, our morning meeting would start at 7:30-ish, but hardly anyone was here._

**Kohaku:** [Writing in notebook] This is rather unfortunate. It appears that only about half of us have even bothered to show up. [Twirling pen] I suppose the Despair Toxin is having a greater psychological impact on our classmates than I would have anticipated. [Sharp exhale] As expected of a monster like Monokitsu.

_I couldn’t really bring myself to make very much conversation with the others, and I actually like socializing. This morning, though, I just felt crushed and slightly nauseous. I guess the mask hasn’t been working as well as we’d have hoped._

**Katsu:** [Shaking head] My senses must be deceiving me…

**Kohaku:** [Raises eyebrow] Oh? What was that, Ueno-kun?

**Katsu:** [Furrowed eyebrows] For reasons unknown, I get the feeling that the toxin is much stronger than it was last night.

_Huh…? I didn’t really notice that much of a difference, but when I pulled my mask down to check, I soon understood what he was talking about._

[OST: All All Apologies]

_My vision blurred, and my face felt wet as I was hit with waves of emotions. The despair from last night creeped up on me and infected my thoughts._

_I looked at everyone around me, and realized that they were all going to be corpses within the next week at most. And I would be dead along with them._

_I felt myself shaking, and couldn’t do anything to control myself. I clenched my teeth as audible sobs threatened to escape._

_And then, all of a sudden, I felt someone grab my face and pull my mask back up._

**Megami:** You’re so dumb, Yuu-chan…

**Yuudai:** Ts-Tsukima-san?

**Megami:** [Wiping my tears] Don’t do such reckless things like that. You’re just going to let the motive get to you if you do that.

_Her chipper personality dropped as she scolded me._

[OST: Despair Syndrome]

**Yuudai:** I’m...sorry about that. But...it looks like Ueno-kun was right. I can still feel the difference.

**Mitsuko:** [Snarl] But he said he wouldn’t change the dosage for another 2 days! That fucking lying piece of shit!

[OST: Mr. Monokuma’s Lesson]

**Monokitsu:** Hey hey hey~! Ya already noticed the increase?

**Kohaku:** [Narrows eyes] What’s the meaning of this, Monokitsu? Are you already growing impatient, merely a night after presenting a motive?

**Monokitsu:** Psychoanalyzing even little ol’ me~? As expected of you, Takeuchi-kun! [Claws up] Well, you see, since you guys had the totally genius idea of wearing those N95 respirators, I had the even geniuser idea of upping the dosage, rendering those masks all but useless!

**Yuudai:** “Geniuser” isn’t even a word, and I should know! But that’s besides the point. Why the hell do you want us dead so desperately, that you have to use our own emotions against us?!

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] I, too, have been wondering the same thing. Why lower our inhibitions in order to rush us into committing a murder? I had thought someone like you would have wanted more... _clean_ murders, or at least ones with actual rational thought put into them. Wouldn’t that make for a better mystery?

**Monokitsu:** [Paw on chin] I mean, clearly if I thought you were capable of that, I never would have had to give you this motive in the first place. This is the last thing you need to start the killing game. [Inquisitive] But even after I’ve driven you into despair, a part of you still resists.

**Katsu:** [Narrows eyes] If you have nothing useful to say, then your presence will not be missed.

**Kenta:** Begone! Return to the hellfire from which you were forged!

**Monokitsu:** [Paw covering mouth] Fufufufufu~...If you want me gone that badly, then I’ll go! You can tell the others about what I did...and then you can kill each other!

_And once again, Monokitsu disappeared into thin air._

_Soon after that, Himura-san and Satou-san finally came out of the kitchen._

[OST: Despair-Syndrome]

**Akane:** Did I hear that correctly? Did Monokitsu seriously increase the dosage _already_?

**Kohaku:** Unfortunately, yes. He’s growing ever desperate by the minute.

**Aiko:** Dammit...The nerve of him…

**Akane:** I know this motive is really taking a toll on everyone...that’s probably why half of us aren’t even here… [Determined stance] But we can’t give him what he wants! We need to keep resisting with everything we’ve got, and stick it to that loser fox!

_Akane let out a weak cough._

**Akane:** Ugh...I do _not_ deal well with crap in my lungs…The kitchen’s chock-full of the stuff.

**Aiko:** Indeed. We had a hard time keeping it together there.

**Akane:** [Nods] It seems like the Despair Toxin is coming from the vents. There’s actually two in the kitchen, so that’s why it’s much stronger there.

**Kohaku:** [Furrows eyebrows] And you were just standing there for the past few hours? That can’t be healthy.

**Akane:** [Stern] It’s fine. I’m not going to kill anyone, Takeuchi-kun, so you don’t need to worry your pretty little head about it!

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] Okay.

**Aiko:** If that’s all you have to say, we should call everyone over here since we’re done with _that thing_.

**Akane:** [Nods] Everyone, wait here. Satou-san and I will go get the others.

_They left, leaving me, Tsukima-san, Ueno-kun, Tachibana-san, Shimizu-kun, and Takeuchi-kun to our own devices._

_We awkwardly tried to make conversation, but we only managed to make a little bit of small talk. We just sort of looked around at each other, as though we feared that one or more of us was going to pounce at any moment._

_Suddenly, the doors burst open as Himura-san and Satou-san reentered the dining hall with the rest of the class in tow. I was surprised that they’d even managed to bring Hamasaki-kun and Sasaki-san, since they rarely ever showed up to meetings in the first place._

_As we sat around the tables, Himura-san and Satou-san went to the kitchen. After a few moments, they emerged, carrying plates full of various sweets and pastries._

[OST: Beautiful Morning]

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] Is this what you spent the morning in the kitchen preparing?

**Aiko:** Mhmm. We thought that since the motive was bringing everyone’s moods down, this might help as a little pick-me-up.

**Akane:** It was really Satou-san’s idea, but I thought I could help with my talent.

**Shinobu:** Th-This is great!

**Akane:** We’ve been up since about 5AM making this stuff. We may have gone a little overboard, but do help yourself. We’re not going to run out any time soon.

**Aiko:** But try not to eat yourself into a food coma.

_As one might have predicted, Kawaguchi-kun served himself VERY generously. Tsukima-san and Himura-san ate big portions, too. They seemed to really love sweet food. The rest of us ate normally._

_I wasn’t so sure how sugaring ourselves up was going to help prevent a murder, but I did feel a little bit better eating my sorrows away._

_The morning meeting disbanded eventually, and everyone just kinda did their own thing for the rest of the day. Though, the atmosphere wasn’t as calm as yesterday. We all looked over our shoulders, and I know I definitely kept a better eye on my surroundings than usual._

.

.

.

[OST: Beautiful Dead]

_Shinobu entered the kitchen, consciously averting his eyes away from the microwave. The only other person in the room was Aiko, who was washing all the dishes._

**Aiko:** Oh, Shinobu-chi? What are you doing here?

**Shinobu:** J-Just gonna raid the p-pantry, like always.

**Aiko:** Just don’t blow up the microwave again. I wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened a few days ago.

**Shinobu:** I-I don’t even know how that h-happened! Back home, I never blew one up!

**Aiko:** Knowing the situation we’re in, Monokitsu probably meant for all the equipment to be...volatile, so to speak. He does love scaring us into following his rules. But really, I’d advise you to just avoid the microwave from now on.

**Shinobu:** I-I said I was sorry about that! You don’t have to keep giving me grief.

**Aiko:** I’m not mad at you or anything. I only say what I say because I don’t want anyone getting hurt. And honestly, I don’t think I’d ever be able to be mad at someone like you.

**Shinobu:** Huh? W-Why?

**Aiko:** Because, well...You sort of remind me of one of my brothers.

**Shinobu:** Oh, r-really? How so?

**Aiko:** Now that I think about it more, Kei is just like you. He’s always hungry, and a fair bit skittish. He’s always causing trouble, but he means well. And I know you do, too.

**Shinobu:** Th-That’s really nice of you to say, but h-how could you say that about someone you b-barely know?

**Aiko:** I know it’s not logical, but I’ve never really been logically inclined. I’m more driven by nostalgia than anything else.

**Shinobu:** F-Fair enough, I guess…

**Aiko:** By the way, how do you never gain weight with all the food you eat? I know you said you have a high metabolism, but I’ve never been able to wrap my head around it.

**Shinobu:** I-I mean, i-it’s not just metabolism. I may not l-look like it, but I also have a decent amount of muscle mass, so I-I can just inherently burn more calories.

**Aiko:** I see...That’s actually pretty cool.

**Shinobu:** Y-You think so?

**Aiko:** Yeah! Now, if you excuse me, these dishes aren’t going to wash themselves. So don’t cause any trouble, okay?

**Shinobu:** Gotcha…

.

.

.

_In the gymnasium, Katsu and Haruna were doing some strength training._

**Katsu:** It has been quite a while since I last had a training partner.

**Haruna:** Huh, really?

**Katsu:** She’s a childhood friend of mine. We grew up together, so naturally, when I was getting into fencing, I would force her to practice with me.

**Haruna:** What’s she like?

**Katsu:** Foul-mouthed, short-tempered…

**Haruna:** So basically, the opposite of you?

**Katsu:** Yes. However, she is a good person despite all of that, and a very talented archer, actually.

**Haruna:** Archer, huh...have you ever tried it?

**Katsu:** I have, but sadly, I am not very good at it.

**Haruna:** Pfft, maybe there’s a bow in the vault you could use to show off your skills.

**Katsu:** As I have said, Inoue-shi, I am not very good at archery. I might end up accidentally killing someone with my caliber.

**Haruna:** Heh, that’d be pretty bad.

**Katsu:** Indeed.

[OST: Desire for Execution]

**Haruna:** [Sigh] ...Why are we pretending that everything’s ok?

**Katsu:** Whatever do you mean by that, Inoue-shi?

**Haruna:** We’re all acting like nothing’s happening when clearly, we’re gonna be trapped here for the rest of our lives!

**Katsu:** This is...unusually pessimistic of you…

**Haruna:** [Tearing up] ‘Cuz I’m not gonna pretend I’m happy here when I want to get the heck out of here! This place is claustrophobic as hell, and I can’t stand being trapped inside this stupid building!

**Katsu:** I understand that you are not taking the motive very well, but I would not want to see you succumbing to it. Or anybody else, for that matter.

**Haruna:** Then...how are you so good at it?

**Katsu:** Beg pardon?

**Haruna:** Putting on a mask? You act like nothing hurts you…

**Katsu:** I cannot afford to show weakness. If I slip, then I might never find my way back up. It is much like climbing up a slippery slope. I must remain vigilant if I am to survive.

**Haruna:** Well, when you put it like that, it makes me feel like I should try harder to resist the Despair Toxin.

**Katsu:** Of course, but remember that Monokitsu is our enemy, not each other.

[OST: Beautiful Dead]

**Haruna:** [Thumbs up, cheerful] Of course! I-I know that!

**Katsu:** [Nods] Good. Now then, shall we get back to training?

**Haruna:** Yep!

.

.

.

_The clock struck 6:30, and I was back at the dining hall in time for the evening meeting. Everyone showed up except for Hamasaki-kun, Sasaki-san, and Tachibana-san._

[OST: Despair-Syndrome]

**Akane:** [Shakes head] How unfortunate that they couldn’t be here tonight. 

**Aiko:** I couldn’t get them out of their rooms, Akane-chi. They were... _very_ upset.

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] Especially Tachibana-san. She tried to kill me a few minutes ago.

**Akane:** She did _what_?!

**Kohaku:** [Shakes head] She just scratched up my neck a little bit. It’s fine.

**Aiko:** It is _not_ fine, Kohaku-chi. Just stay where you are; I’ll tend to your injuries.

_I actually wasn’t surprised; Tachibana-san was rather...volatile...even without the Despair Toxin. But to think that she’d actually go so far as to try to murder Takeuchi-kun..._

**Aiko:** Tch. “Just scratched up my neck a little bit” my ass! You could’ve seriously bled to death, you idiot!

**Kohaku:** Okay.

**Aiko:** Don’t be so nonchalant about it!

**Kohaku:** [Sigh] You say I could have died, but I’m still alive. So I say “okay”.

**Aiko:** [Crying] I know you don’t take this seriously at all, but some of us actually give a shit about keeping everyone alive.

**Kohaku:** I know you care a lot, Satou-san. And I _do_ take this situation seriously. It’s just that my emotions are unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Everyone’s safety matters far more.

**Aiko:** Just don’t get yourself killed for how few shits you give about yourself, okay?

**Kohaku:** I could say the same to you.

**Akane:** It’s okay. We’re just going to discuss how we’re going to prevent a murder from happening!

**Shinobu:** [Nervous, grabbing ponytail] W-Well, all we gotta do is k-keep an eye on guys like _him_!

_Kawaguchi-kun pointed right at Ueno-kun as he said that._

**Katsu:** [Narrows eyes] And just what are you talking about?

**Shinobu:** Y-You’re the biggest guy here! You could easily kill anyone you wanted!

**Katsu:** I am not a murderer. If I may be honest, I find it quite rude that you would even imply that.

**Akane:** [Furrowed eyebrows] You guys, we shouldn’t let ourselves become paranoid…

**Kenta:** You can try to slay me, but rest assured that I will not be cut down like a mere tree!

**Katsu:** I am not a murderer! Just because I am stronger than all of you does not mean that I would succumb to Monokitsu’s motive!

**Akane:** [Pounds fist on table] Everyone, shut up! I won’t have anyone ganging up on Ueno-kun, and I especially won’t have anyone talking about murder! We’re not going to kill each other; in fact, we’ll be taking preventative action!

**Akane:** As you already know, I have already hidden away all of the poisons from the infirmary. However, the kitchen is still chock full of potential weapons, and I’ll need someone to clear those before nighttime.

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] I will take care of the kitchen.

**Akane:** It’s a lot of work for just one person to take care of…

**Haruna:** [Raises hand] Oh! I’ll help him!

**Akane:** [Nods] Thank you, Inoue-san.

**Aiko:** I’ll guard the vault tonight.

**Akane:** Thank you, Satou-san, I was just about to bring that up. Actually, I wanted to have shifts in place. One person would guard for a few hours at a time, and the others would be in wait. You can have the first shift, Satou-san, since you volunteered. Now, if my math is correct...We can have 3 guards, each one guarding for 3 hours, until morning.

**Rin:** I will guard after Satou-san.

**Akane:** Okay. Thank you, Kurosawa-kun. And I will take up the final guard shift.

**Akane:** With that said, please heed the nighttime rule tonight and do not leave your rooms unless absolutely necessary. And with that, the meeting is adjourned.

_This time, it was adjourned early. The time was 9:00PM, and with this, everyone dispersed and went their own ways._

_I returned to my room and saw that Ueno-kun was dressed in his fencing gear._

**Yuudai:** Are you seriously going to wear _that_ to bed?

**Katsu:** [Shakes head] I am not going to bed yet. After last night, I do not think that I will find sleep so easily. So I will train in the gym first.

**Yuudai:** Wha--But that goes against the nighttime rule! Not to mention, you’ll be in there by yourself; there’s no telling what could happen!

**Katsu:** Your concern is appreciated, Oleastro-shi, but I assure you that I would not let myself be killed. Unless you had the opposite concern?

_Basically asking if I’m afraid he’s going to kill someone? Well, I wasn’t before, but,,,_

**Yuudai:** You know, I...didn’t think of that before, but now that you mention it, yes, I am.

**Katsu:** [Eyes widen] That was rather blunt.

_The Despair Toxin...it’s making me brutally honest._

**Yuudai:** Chalk it up to the motive, I guess. But I do not trust you to be by yourself out there.

**Katsu:** If that is the case, then why not accompany me? Then neither of us will be by ourselves.

_Should I spend time with Ueno-kun instead of going to sleep?_ **_Yes_ ** _/No_

_You know what, why the hell not?_

**Yuudai:** Sure, I’ll go with you. Besides, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep very well either.

_And I’m not sure how much I trust myself to be alone in the state I’m in..._

**Katsu:** [Nods] Then let us be on our way.

_We walked to the gym. I spent the next couple of hours or so strength training with Ueno-kun. At one point, he seemed a little distracted, but he assured me that it was nothing. After that, he taught me some basic fencing techniques._

_I think we grew a little closer._

**Yuudai:** You wanna start yet?

**Katsu:** Yes, but I must warn you of this: I will not go easy on you just because you are a beginner.

**Yuudai:** Fine by me. Don’t hold back. Fight me like you want to kill me!

**Katsu:** I-I didn’t say I would go _that_ far!

**Yuudai:** I’m just kidding. But in all seriousness, the way I’ll be able to learn is by doing. It’s the same thing with learning a language. You gotta set your fear aside and just go for it. Even if you fail, you learn from your mistakes and get a little bit better each time.

**Katsu:** When you put it like that…[Smug look] Alright then. 

**Katsu:** [Cold stare] _En garde._

_I got into my position and watched Ueno-kun get into his. It was as if another version of him was born at once; he suddenly looked coldly at me as though I were his prey._

**Katsu:** _Allez!_

_He leapt straight towards me._

_I instinctively jumped to the side, holding my epee in shaky hands. I tightened my grip and whacked his next attack out of the way. Unfortunately, my swing was too wide, and it left me vulnerable. I paid for my faulty move with a jab directly in my stomach._

_When Ueno-kun pulled back, I fell to my knees and struggled to breathe. I did not get up for a long time._

**Yuudai:** Mamma mia...you sure hit hard!

**Katsu:** [Nervous side glance] Forgive me, Oleastro-shi. I suppose I should not have gone so hard on you.

**Yuudai:** I’m...fine…

_Not gonna lie, it_ did _kinda hurt, but I wasn’t injured by it. I stood up with a smile to prove my point._

**Yuudai:** See? I couldn’t be better!

**Katsu:** [Neutral] Your grip was too loose, and you swung your epee too hard. That is not what fencing is about at all. If you are not able to swiftly block attacks, you will end up being hit.

**Yuudai:** I guess I’ve still got an awfully long way to go before I can even dream of standing a chance against you. But that’s fine by me. I like learning from you!

**Katsu:** [Nervous] Thank you kindly, Oleastro-shi...I am not used to teaching other people, even though I have been training for over a decade.

**Yuudai:** A decade?! That’s some serious dedication! How did you get started?

**Katsu:** I started when I was about six years old. I was a rowdy kid with no direction in life, and I needed to sort myself out.

**Yuudai:** I see...I never would have taken you for the rowdy type.

**Katsu:** [Contemplative] Heh. Fencing allowed me to feel like I actually have a purpose in life. I have always strived to become better and better. I daresay this single-mindedness saved me.

_Fencing really does mean everything to him. I can see why._

**Yuudai:** Let’s train again soon, Ueno-kun.

**Katsu:** You want to keep learning from me?

**Yuudai:** Yeah! I want to get strong like you, so we can kick the mastermind’s ass and get out of here together!

**Katsu:** [Chuckling] Very well, Oleastro-shi. I look forward to sparring with you again.

_I think I understand him a little better now._

_I checked my e-handbook for the time: 1:00AM. Mon dieu...have we really been out here for almost four hours?!_

**Yuudai:** It’s 1 in the morning, we should go back.

**Katsu:** [Nods] Right. The time really has flown. [Eyes widen] My senses deceive me once more.

**Yuudai:** Huh? What’s wrong?   
  


_Ueno-kun then pulled his mask off all of a sudden._

**Katsu:** The dosage...it has greatly reduced. No, the flow has completely stopped!

_I pulled down my mask to check for myself and sure enough, he was right. The only Despair Toxin that remained was the old stuff that was still in the air._

_But wait...if Monokitsu stopped the flow of the Despair Toxin, then…_

[OST: Weekly Despair Magazine]

_The realization sunk in. Someone was dead. Right under our noses, someone had killed someone._

_Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming right towards us. Then, Kurosawa-kun burst through the gym doorway._

**Rin:** [Terrorized expression] What are you guys doing in here?!

**Katsu:** Training. Whatever is the matter, Kurosawa-shi?

**Rin:** Satou-san’s not by the vault, and I can’t find her anywhere!

_Oh no...Is she dead?!_

**Yuudai:** I’ll help you find her.

**Katsu:** I suppose I should alert Himura-shi and let her know of this.

_Ueno-kun ran out of the gym while Kurosawa-kun and I went to look for Satou-san. First, we checked the dorms. We knocked on the doors to all the girls’ dorms, but only Tsukima-san ended up answering the door._

**Megami:** [Alarmed] Huh?! Ai-chan’s missing?! And the Despair Toxin’s gone?!

**Rin:** Did you see her come back over here?

**Megami:** No, I didn’t! After she left to go to the vault, I never saw her again!

**Yuudai:** Then we need to act fast! We have to find her.

_The three of us began to scour the school together. We looked around the vault, the infirmary, the bathroom, and the laundry room, but she was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, I heard a loud banging sound coming from the vault._

_I scanned my e-handbook and opened the vault, where we found Satou-san, shaking, and looking absolutely terrified._

**Yuudai:** You alright, Satou-san?

**Megami:** [Raises eyebrow] How did you even get locked in there?

**Aiko:** [Shaken] Th-That...It was almost an hour after I took on my guard shift...Someone came up behind me and smothered me with a towel...and when I woke up, I was locked inside that damn thing…

**Rin:** Oh my...But wait a second...If you’re not dead…

_Suddenly, I heard a faint noise coming from the other end of the building._

**Megami:** [Alarmed] Someone just screamed. I...I’m going to go check…

_Tsukima-san immediately bolted towards the source of the scream. Kurosawa-kun and I stayed back and made sure that Satou-san was okay, and then we waited in silence._

_And then, we heard an ear-piercing scream decimate the air. And a few moments later…_

**_DING DONG BING BONG~_ **

**Monokitsu:** A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time, the class trial will begin!

[OST: Buzzkill]

_I immediately felt a spike of sheer dread crawl up my spine. It was like my lungs had filled up with the Despair Toxin all over again._

_Someone was dead. Someone was actually dead._

**Rin:** What the hell was that?! A body was discovered?! Class Trial?! No…it couldn’t be. [Disturbed] I sense a deep disturbance...one that shall never be made right...

_We all ran to the source of the scream: the courtyard. And as I peered through the entrance, I saw Himura-san, Ueno-kun, and Tsukima-san standing over it…_

[OST: Despair Pollution Noise Music]

_The body lay face down on the grass._

_Their limbs were splayed out in all different directions._

_Blood dripped from a gaping wound on the back of their head._

_Right in front of me, I saw…_

_...the lifeless body of Haruna Inoue, the SHSL Rock Climber._

_The killing game had begun...just like I thought it would._

END OF CHAPTER ONE: BLOODBATH FEVER, DAILY LIFE

SURVIVING STUDENTS: 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, someone's finally dead! A perfect Christmas gift, right?
> 
> Deadly Life will be out as soon as I can finish it, though with exams and college applications looming over me, it may be a while. But I promise that I'll never stop working on this.
> 
> In the meantime, feel free to theorize about who you think the killer is! Hopefully it isn't too obvious, haha...
> 
> With that said, I'll see y'all in the new year with the Deadly Life chapter!


	8. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Deadly Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class investigates to discover the culprit behind Haruna Inoue's death.

##### DEADLY LIFE

_We’ve reached the part of the story where our heroes discovered a dead body for the first time in their lives. Ever thought about how you’d react? Looking at a human being suddenly without life...that’s not something that many people have had to do, so most people have simply never thought about it. And if we have? We think we can stay composed. We know exactly how we’d react. Or at least, I thought I did._

_I’ve never been more wrong in my life._

_I stared at Inoue-san’s corpse for what felt like an eternity, my world blurring in and out of focus. I couldn’t comprehend anything else. I didn’t know whether to cry, throw up, or pass out at the mere sight. So I just stood there, and stared in silence._

_Everyone else looked to be in varying degrees of shock and horror. The most notable cases were Tsukima-san, who dashed out of the courtyard with her hand covering her mouth, and Kurosawa-kun, who straight up passed out where he'd been standing. Satou-san went to check on him, a dark shadow cast over her face. Himura-san shook her head, as though she couldn’t believe what she saw, and Ueno-kun seemed to be frozen in place._

_More of us showed up, but I didn’t focus on their specific reactions._

**Akane:** [Horrified] Is she...really dead...?

[OST: Mr. Monokuma's Tutoring]

**Monokitsu:** [Grin] Hell yeah! Deader than a doorknob!

**Yuudai:** The fuck do you want this time?!

**Monokitsu:** I'll tell you just what the fuck I want. [Turns to primarily show black side] For you to play my game! Remember the rules?

**Hoshiko:** [Cold glare] You want us to figure out who killed her.

**Monokitsu:** [Points at Hoshiko] Ding ding ding! This is why you're my favorite student, Sasaki-san! Ever a stickler for the rules, just like me!

**Hoshiko:** [Glare] We will never be the same.

**Monokitsu:** [Giggle, paw covering mouth] Fufufufufu!

**Izumi:** [Intense stare] Do you have legitimate business with us or not?

**Monokitsu:** [Inquisitive] Hey now, I'm here to help you!

**Shinobu:** [Angry, clenching fists] Th-Then let us out of here! That's the b-best way you can help us!

**Monokitsu:** [Giggle] Fufufu...I've got a better idea. Kazoing!

_Suddenly, we all heard a loud dinging coming from our e-handbooks. I turned mine on to get the pop-up message:_

**[** **_Monokitsu File #1 has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] The fuck is the Monokitsu File?

**Monokitsu:** I'm glad you asked! To put it simply, it's an autopsy report I put together just for you guys! Since you guys aren't detectives and have never investigated a dead body, I thought I'd give you guys a helping hand to get the ball rolling!

**Aiko:** [Narrows eyes] And how are we supposed to trust that any of it is true?

**Monokitsu:** Hey now, I would never lie in those files! It wouldn't be any fun if I actively sabotaged your chances of survival!

**Kohaku:** [Pushing glasses up] Of course it's all about fun for you.

**Monokitsu:** Hell yeah, I've never had this much fun in my life! [Wicked grin] Now get investigating, kiddos! I wouldn't want to execute you guys right at the beginning!

_Monokitsu then left us to our own devices._

_I opened the Truth Bullets section of my e-handbook and read through this Monokitsu File._

**_Monokitsu File #1_ **

**_Victim: Haruna Inoue_ **

**_Time of Death: 10:15PM_ **

**_Discovered by: Akane Himura, Katsu Ueno, Megami Tsukima, in the courtyard_ **

**_Cause of Death: Blunt force trauma to the back of the head_ **

**_Other Information: Death was near instantaneous. The victim also has a number of bruises on their body, as well as a few small cuts on the back of their ankles. No foreign substance was found in their bloodstream._ **

**Izumi:** [Cold stare] I don’t trust anything that fox gives to us. So I will verify that the contents in his “Monokitsu File” are legitimate.

**Megami:** [Trembling] Y-You’re actually gonna touch her dead body?

**Izumi:** Somebody has to. And it appears that the rest of you are too squeamish. So naturally, the task falls to me.

**Akane:** I propose that someone should stay with you while you perform your autopsy. I don’t think we can afford to leave anyone by themselves.

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] I will stay with Hamasaki-kun while he performs the autopsy.

**Akane:** [Softer expression] Thank you, Takeuchi-kun. I know it must be difficult for you to stand around a dead body, but I appreciate that you volunteered. [Determined] Alright, with that said and done, let’s get investigating!

[OST: Ikoroshia]

_And so we began our investigation for the murder of Haruna Inoue._

_I’d never investigated in my life. I didn’t even consider myself to be all that intelligent. I didn’t know if I was capable of figuring out which one of my classmates had committed murder. But I had to. For the sake of all the rest of us, I needed to give this investigation my all._

_I stepped around Inoue-san’s body while Hamasaki-kun and Takeuchi-kun examined it, and looked at the equipment. There was a variety of equipment for strength training, but I didn’t see anything that could’ve been used as a murder weapon. There was no blood on anything. I supposed that the culprit could’ve just washed off the weapon, but nothing looked like it was washed. In fact, most of the dumbbells and stuff were dusty, as though they hadn’t been used in a while._

**[** **_Equipment has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

_I stepped away from the equipment and went back the way I came, being careful to avoid the body._

_Suddenly, I felt the ground loosen beneath my feet before collapsing entirely. Before I could even react, I fell down into the dark and landed with a loud crash._

_Luckily, I didn’t hit my head. But my arms and legs screamed with pain. The first thing I noticed when I landed was that there was dust everywhere. It coated my clothing and skin. The second thing I noticed was that it was dark. I pulled out my e-handbook and turned it on, letting the light from the screen illuminate the darkness before me. I looked around and noticed that there was...well, I couldn’t call it a streak, but on the ground ahead of me, it looked as though some of the dust was wiped away. It was in quite an erratic matter, as though someone had simply dragged a cloth along the ground without any care to actually clean it._

**Rani (Voice):** Yo, Yuudai!

**Yuudai:** Rani-san, is that you?

**Rani (Voice):** Hells yeah? You ok? Ya seemed t’ take a pretty nasty T-U-M-B-L-E!

**Yuudai:** Yeah, I’m good.

_Suddenly, I heard a soft clanging sound. When I turned around, I saw that Rani-san was climbing down a ladder embedded into the wall. That would’ve been convenient for me._

**Rani:** Whoa, th’ hell’s this? A vent? And it was jus’ here in th’ courtyard?

**Yuudai:** I’m not sure. But I get the feeling that we should check it out.

**Rani:** In that case, lead th’ way! Ya got th’ light, so go right ahead!

_I shined the light and slowly walked along the path of the dust streak, with Rani-san following closely behind me._

_Eventually, we reached what looked like the end, and found a latch over our heads, as well as another ladder. I climbed up the ladder and opened the latch. As I climbed up and out of the passage, I found myself in...the pantry?_

_Rani-san then came out of the passage and started sifting through the contents of the pantry._

**Rani:** [Grin] Yep, def’nitely th’ pantry!

**Yuudai:** Isn’t it strange? Why would there be a passage from the courtyard to the pantry of all places?

**Rani:** Dunno, but somethin’ tells me that it’s R-E-L-E-V-A-N-T. Remember this.

**[** **_Secret Passage has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Rani:** Speakin’ o’ relevance…

_Rani-san then immediately scurried back down into the passage. A few moments later, she emerged, carrying a rope-like object in her hands._

**Rani:** I caught a glimpse o’ this, but I didn’t think much of it. But now I wanna know what it is.

_I took a look at it, and let out an audible gasp._

**Rani:** Hm? Ya know what it is?

**Yuudai:** It’s a garrote. From the vault…

**Rani:** [Raises eyebrow] Wasn’t Aiko suppose’ t’ be guardin’ th’ vault last night?

**Yuudai:** Yeah, but she was ambushed and locked in there.

**Rani:** Hmmmmm...We’ll need ta talk t’ her. But first, let’s search th’ K-I-T-C-H-E-N!

**[** **_Garrote has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

_We opened the door to the pantry and started searching around the kitchen. I didn’t really see the point of looking there, since the courtyard was the scene of the crime, but Rani-san seemed insistent that we leave no stone unturned._

**Rani:** [Head tilt] Yer prob’ly wonderin’ what th’ poin’ o’ this is. “Why should we investigate the kitchen? It’s not the scene of the crime!” is what yer thinkin’, right?

**Yuudai:** Yeah...something like that.

**Rani:** [Finger pointing up, bright expression] But think o’ this! Why’s the passage go from th’ courtyard t’ th’ pantry of all places? Ya think these two places ‘re connected?

_Well duh, bien sur, there’s literally a passageway that goes from the courtyard to the pantry; how could they not be connected? But I then realized that she wasn’t talking about connection in the literal sense. What she was trying to say was that the kitchen must be connected to the murder somehow, and that was why we were looking for clues there. With that realization, I looked a little more closely for any potential clues._

_I checked the kitchen sink and noticed something strange in the drain. I stuck my fingers down there and began digging around. When I pulled them out, I saw that it was some kind of weird pink mush._

_Oh god, what if it’s human flesh?_

**Yuudai:** Hey, Rani-san, I found something in the drain.

**Rani:** Oh?

_She then noticed my fingers._

**Rani:** [Disgusted] Blegh, ‘s all bloody! ...But...it doesn’t look like flesh t’ me.

**Yuudai:** I don’t even know what this stuff is, but...I’m pretty sure it’s not supposed to be here.

_I washed it off of my fingers and made a mental note of it._

**[** **_Pink Mush has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

_After that, I scanned the rest of the area: the sink, and the counter next to it. My eyes then fell upon a section of the counter, right on the edge. There was some sort of smear on it. I ran my finger across it; when I lifted it, I noticed that it was tinted slightly pink. Was this...blood? But why would there be blood in the kitchen if Inoue-san was killed in the courtyard?_

**[** **_Blood Smear has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Yuudai:** There’s also a blood smear on the counter over here.

**Rani:** [Grimace] Ewww, gross. Have I ever told ya how much I D-E-S-P-I-S-E blood?

**Yuudai:** That’s fair enough; it _is_ pretty gross.

_So gross, in fact, that I immediately washed it off of my finger._

**Yuudai:** Did you find anything else, Rani-san?

**Rani:** [Thumb up, grin] Sure did!

_She held up a plastic wrapper. It looked to be covered in oil, and when I looked closer, I noticed that it had a little bit of blood on it._

**[** **_Plastic Wrapper has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Akane:** [Eyes widen] Oh! There you guys are! I noticed Rani-san going down where Oleastro-kun fell and you two never came back.

**Yuudai:** Oh, hey, Himura-san.

_I then noticed that she was looking right behind me at something._

**Akane:** [Furrows eyebrows] That kitchen towel wasn’t that oily yesterday morning.

_She went up and grabbed it._

**Akane:** It’s completely saturated in oil. And…

_She gave it a quick sniff, and then dropped it, putting a hand to her head and clutching the counter._

**Akane:** [WIncing, holding head] Chloroform...Stay away from this. You don’t want to accidentally knock yourself out.

_She tossed the towel into the trash can._

_That must have been what knocked Satou-san out, but why was it brought back to the kitchen? And when did the killer get the chloroform anyway?_

**[** **_Dirty Kitchen Towel has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Rani:** Didn’t ya say ya hid all the poisons on the second day?

**Akane:** I did. After Oleastro-kun, Inoue-san, and Sasaki-san told me about them, I went to the infirmary and hid them. Nobody but me should have been able to get them after that.

**[** **_Akane’s Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Rani:** In that case, that kinda makes ya look sus.

**Akane:** I can assure you that I didn’t take the chloroform, and that I’m not the culprit. In any case, I was one of the three people who triggered the Body Discovery Announcement, so I am innocent.

_If I remember correctly, the three people who discovered the body were Himura-san, Tsukima-san, and Ueno-kun. And according to the rules, three spotless students have to discover the body in order to trigger the Body Discovery Announcement. So those three can’t be the culprit._

**[** **_Body Discovery Announcement has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Rani:** Gotcha. Just makin’ sure.

**Akane:** Oh! I also thought I should mention, everyone was at the meeting last night, except for Hamasaki-kun, Sasaki-san, and Tachibana-san. I’m not saying those three are guilty, but they were the only ones whose presence was unaccounted for last night. Do with that information what you will.

**[** **_Evening Meeting has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Akane:** Now, I’ll just be on my way. You two keep investigating!

**Yuudai:** Right, of course.

_Himura-san then left the kitchen._

**Yuudai:** You think we finished looking through the kitchen for clues?

**Rani:** Yep…I don’t think there’s anythin’ left t’be found.

_With that, we left the kitchen as well._

**Rani:** I think we oughta ask Izumi and Kohaku ‘bout the body. It’s about that time, yeah?

**Yuudai:** Sure, I guess.

_Rani-san wasn’t a detective, as far as I knew, but she seemed to know way more about investigating than I did, so I was fine with letting her take charge._

_The two of us walked back to the courtyard, where Takeuchi-kun was standing by the body as Hamasaki-kun prayed for Inoue-san’s soul._

**Rani:** ‘Sup boys! What did ya find?

**Kohaku:** Hamasaki-kun confirmed that the Monokitsu File was accurate. In addition, we found a few other details about the body that should not go unmentioned.

_I noticed that Hamasaki-kun had turned over Inoue-san’s body and closed her eyes. Now that she lay face up, I noticed one glaring detail: dust._

_There was dust all over the front of her vest and pants, as well as the entire left side of her face. If she was killed in the courtyard, where did the dust come from?_

**[** **_Dust has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Izumi:** She was found lying face down, which implies that she was hit from behind. But the bruises on her arms would then go unexplained.

_That_ is _a strange discrepancy. I should make a note of this so we can discuss it at the trial._

**[** **_Position of the Body has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Kohaku:** [Pointing pen up] And one more thing. Take a look at the soles of her shoes.

_Rani-san and I did so, and noticed that there was a strange sheen to it. I reached out to touch it, and noticed that it was olive oil._

**Rani:** Oil…? The hell?

**Izumi:** Strange, isn’t it?

**Kohaku:** I have reason to believe that this case is not so simple as Inoue-san being struck from behind in the courtyard. But we can have that discussion later.

**[** **_Haruna’s Shoes has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Yuudai:** Did you notice anything else?

**Izumi:** No, that’s about all we discovered.

**Kohaku:** [Furrows eyebrows] Wait a second...Where’s her e-handbook?

**Rani:** Her e-handbook’s missin’?

**Kohaku:** It’s nowhere on her body. She usually keeps it in her vest pocket, but it’s not there.

**[** **_Haruna’s Missing E-Handbook has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Kohaku:** And I believe _that’s_ about all.

**Rani:** ‘S quite a lotta stuff to find, though. Anyways, we should prob’ly get outta here. I don’t think it’s very H-E-A-L-T-H-Y to sit ‘round, starin’ at a dead body.

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] A-Ah, you’re right.

_He said that in a tone barely above a whisper. He stared at the ground, but he didn’t look like he was looking at anything at all. For a moment, there was silence, which was only broken by the clicking of his pen._

**Yuudai:** You alright, Takeuchi-kun?

**Kohaku:** [Shaking head] It’s nothing. My neck just hurts, that’s all. Tachibana-san has...very sharp nails...

_Oh right, Tachibana-san_ did _try to kill him yesterday._

**Rani:** Speakin’ o’ near death experiences...Kohaku, weren’t ya in the kitchen with Haruna last night?

**Kohaku:** [Nods] I was, but then at around 9:45, she just left for no reason, and I left 5 minutes later.

**Yuudai:** Is that so?

**Kohaku:** Yes. I don’t know why she left, but I do know that there was one other strange thing that occurred last night.

**Izumi:** Oh? And what might that be, Takeuchi?

**Kohaku:** I believe one of the kitchen towels went missing. I didn’t think very much of it, but considering what’s happened, it might be relevant.

_Rani-san and I ended up finding that kitchen towel, which was soaked in oil and chloroform._

_You’re right, Takeuchi-kun, that towel_ is _relevant now._

**[** **_Kohaku’s Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Kohaku:** And I believe that is all we will find in the courtyard. We should get going.

_The four of us left and went our separate ways, with Rani-san and I sticking together._

**Rani:** I wanna talk t’ Aiko now. We still need her t’ answer ‘bout her guard duty shift.

**Yuudai:** Where do you think we’ll find her?

**Rani:** Last I remember, she was in th’ I-N-F-I-R-M-A-R-Y with Rin. I think she’s still in there.

_We made our way to the infirmary, where sure enough, Satou-san and Kurosawa-kun were there._

**Rani:** Yo, Aiko! Gotta minute?

**Aiko:** [Neutral expression] Of course. What can I do for you?

**Yuudai:** We were wondering about what happened last night while you were on guard duty.

**Aiko:** [Thinking] Ah, okay then. Um, I went on guard duty right after the meeting. While I was there, I saw Kenta-chi enter the infirmary at around 9:45. But then a couple of minutes later, I heard someone come up from behind me; before I could turn around to see who it was, they pulled down my mask and then smothered me with a towel and knocked me right out. When I woke up, I was in the vault. It was pitch black, and I couldn’t get out of there. If you hadn’t heard me banging on the door and opened it, I would have been stuck there forever.

**[** **_Aiko’s Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Rani:** Hey, Rin! You good?

**Rin:** [Sharp nod] Yeah, I’m fine. [Shaken up] I just...couldn’t stand to see her body…

_I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get that horrifying image out of my head. Inoue-san was so energetic and full of life. It just feels so wrong to have seen her motionless on the ground. And soon, we’d be the same if we didn’t figure out who killed her._

**Yuudai:** That’s fair.

**Rani:** Well, hopefully ya feel better b’fore th’ trial!

**Rin:** [Nods]

_We left the infirmary soon after that, and immediately saw Sasaki-san standing by the vault._

**Yuudai:** Sasaki-san! Find anything useful?

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] Take a gander at this, language boy.

_She showed me a sheet of paper that had a bunch of numbers on it._

**Hoshiko:** It’s from the vault, and looks like some kind of log.

_It read: 021638HS+052147HI+060149YO+060212HS._

_I read it aloud under my breath, trying to make sense of it. The thing that stuck out to me the most was all the letters tacked onto the end of each set of numbers. I looked at the vault door and saw that it was open, and Sasaki-san was peering at its contents. I realized that the last two letters were “HS”, which in this case must be initials for Hoshiko Sasaki. I took a look at the other letter sets. In order from left to right, the initials stood for Hoshiko Sasaki, Haruna Inoue, Yuudai Oleastro, and Hoshiko Sasaki. But...why would Inoue-san’s name be in the vault log?_

_I should probably keep this in mind. It could give us some relevant insight into what happened._

**[** **_Vault Log has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Hoshiko:** On top of that, it would appear that one of the garrotes is missing.

**Yuudai:** Oh?

**Hoshiko:** I don’t know if you counted, but there were sixteen when you, Inoue, and I first discovered them. Now there’s only fifteen.

**Yuudai:** Actually, Rani-san and I found the other one in the secret passage.

**Hoshiko:** Passage?

**Rani:** He means th’ secret passage from th’ courtyard t’ th’ pantry!

**Hoshiko:** Interesting…

**Rani:** Indeed. Looks like this case isn’t nearly ‘s simple ‘s we thought.

_For some reason I get the feeling that I’m supposed to understand what they’re talking about, but I don’t. Even so, I’ll keep this piece of evidence in mind._

**[** **_Vault Inventory has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

_This is a lot of evidence I’ve gathered so far, and yet I still can’t understand where it leads. Why would a garrote be missing from the vault and end up in the passage? What relevance does the passage have to the case? And who could have possibly killed her last night? Those are the questions we have to answer._

_Suddenly, I was snapped out of my thoughts._

**Katsu:** [Stern expression] Oleastro-shi!

**Yuudai:** H-Huh? You need something, Ueno-kun?

**Katsu:** [Frown] I have been calling your name for the past five minutes, Oleastro-shi. This is urgent.

_Oof, I got_ that _stuck in my own head again? Get it together, Yuudai. Your life is at stake._

**Yuudai:** _Lo siento..._ what is it?

**Katsu:** Last night, while we were in the gymnasium...did you happen to hear anybody talking outside?

**Yuudai:** I...no, I didn’t. Why?

**Katsu:** [Shakes head] That person must have only said it under their breath…

**Yuudai:** What are you talking about?

**Katsu:** What I mean is, while we were training, not long after nighttime struck, I heard a voice from right outside the gym. Unfortunately, I could not identify exactly who it was, but I was able to pick up on their tone and a few of their words.

**Yuudai:** Oh? What did they say?

**Katsu:** They sounded...on edge, even a bit angry...They said, and I quote: “Why would she do that?! I shouldn’t have trusted her!”

_That’s…! Did the culprit say that?!_

**Yuudai:** Do you think that was the culprit?

**Katsu:** I believe so, but unfortunately, I have no way of confirming it.

**Yuudai:** Even so, the fact that you were able to pick up on that at all is amazing!

**Katsu:** I simply have very sensitive hearing and astute awareness. Nothing more.

**[** **_Katsu’s Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Hoshiko:** [Raises eyebrow] Wait a second. You guys were in the gym at night? Doesn’t that break that nighttime rule that Himura was so obsessed with?

**Yuudai:** I...Yeah, no getting out of that one. But so what? Neither of us are the culprit. We both have an alibi.

**[** **_Yuudai’s Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Hoshiko:** [Vaguely amused expression] I wasn’t accusing you, but thanks for the confirmation anyway.

**Monokitsu (Voice):** Our investigation will now wrap itself up. Please make your way over to the dried well in the back of the courtyard, where you will then be escorted to the trial room!

**Rani:** Welp, guess we oughtta skedaddle!

_Suddenly, from the girl’s bathroom, I saw Koizumi-san rushing out. When she saw us, she rushed over to us and immediately started jumping up and down, trying to get our attention._

**Kazuko:** [Aggressively tapping e-handbook] “Guys! I found a thing!”

_From her skirt pocket, she pulled out a handful of...glass shards?!_

**Hoshiko:** What is this? Where did you find this, Koizumi?

**Kazuko:** “This was in the toilet! Take a look!”

_Koizumi-san held her hand out so we could all see it. In her hand were a bunch of glass shards, drenched in something that looked like...oil? And when I took a closer look, I saw that there were a couple of drops of blood on them._

**Katsu:** Could this be the remains of the murder weapon?

**Rani:** Maybe. Maybe not.

**Hoshiko:** Whether it is or isn’t the murder weapon, we should definitely make note of this piece of evidence.

**[** **_Glass Shards has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

_With that, Ueno-kun, Rani-san, Sasaki-san, Koizumi-san, and I made our way to the well at the back of the courtyard. By the time we got there, everyone else had already arrived. We stood in silence, glancing at each other pensively._

**Megami:** [Concerned expression] Aka-chan, what happened to you?

_Tsukima-san broke the silence. I took a glance at Himura-san, and discovered that she had a large bruise on her forehead._

**Akane:** [Grim expression] It’s nothing too serious. I just hit my head inside the secret passage.

**Rani:** Heh? How’d that happen?

**Akane:** I doubt you and Oleastro-kun would have noticed because of your shorter statures, but the passage is quite small. It was quite difficult for me to move around there, even when I removed my shoes.

_Disregarding the jab at my height, that’s an interesting detail. I never would have noticed that myself._

**[** **_Secret Passage has been updated._ ** **>**

**Shinobu:** [Fidgeting with bracelet on wrist] S-So...we’ll be going to the class trial now…

**Aiko:** [Grimace] I don’t believe any of us need to be reminded of the fact.

**Izumi:** [Solemn expression] We could all die here…

**Megami:** [Strained smile] Aww, don’t be like that, Izu-chan! We’ll be fiiiiiiiiiine!!

**Shinobu:** N-Not _all_ of us...The culprit’s still gonna d-die...

**Rin:** [Dark expression] Hopefully we can find the culprit. Otherwise Inoue-san’s spirit can never rest in peace.

**Izumi:** [Clasping hands together] I pray that our reunion with God will be delayed for just one more day.

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] I didn’t know you were religious, Hamasaki-kun. I know that for some, it provides purpose and inner strength.

**Izumi:** [Looking to the side] Perhaps…

_We waited for Monokitsu to show up._

_Where’s the class trial even going to take place? I don’t see any courtroom around here._

_But before anyone could say anything, the well rumbled, and from it emerged a large rectangular box. No...it was an elevator. It opened to reveal a drab gray interior._

**Hoshiko:** Where the hell did this come from?

**Yuudai:** I’m not sure...but I think we should get on quickly, before Monokitsu kills us.

_We made our way to the elevator. Once we all stepped inside, the doors closed with an ominous sound._

_As the elevator rumbled and began to descend, a proverb my aunt told me many years ago came to mind._

_Zum Todesschlaf ist keiner müde. Nobody is tired for the sleep of death._

_I remember the day my aunt miscarried after being pregnant with my baby cousin. At the time, I couldn’t understand why she’d died. She didn’t even get to experience the joys of the world. It wasn’t fair!_

_My aunt had told me that nobody can predict when they’ll die, and when the time comes, nobody is ready to die._

_The elevator came to a stop, and the doors creaked open. In front of me, I saw sixteen defendant stands in a circle. Monokitsu sat on a throne across from the elevator, wickedly grinning at us._

[OST: Trial Underground]

**Monokitsu:** I’m oh, so very glad you all could make it here! Please find the trial stand with your name on it!

_Mine was directly in front of the elevator. It didn’t take long for me to make my way over to it._

_My cousin wasn’t ready to die all those years ago. Inoue-san wasn’t ready to die either; she was so full of energy that she made everyone around her look lethargic by comparison._

_It’s not fair that she had to be taken from us so soon. The fact that one of us is her killer isn’t a comforting fact either._

_That person...they’ll be fighting hard to win this trial. They’re not ready to die today...but neither am I. Neither are any of us._

_And because we aren’t ready to die, we can’t let the culprit get away with this!_

_All of our lives are dangling by tiny threads. It’s up to us to expose the truth so those threads don’t become nooses._

_With that, the class trial to determine the murderer of Haruna Inoue began._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the Deadly Life is finally here! On Kazuko's birthday!
> 
> The first part of the trial will be out on January 27th (which also happens to be Kohaku's birthday). In the mean time, I'll post the Truth Bullets right after this and you can try to figure out who the culprit is.
> 
> Also, I made a Discord server for the fangan! You can discuss the story there, and you'll be notified about my progress on upcoming chapters!
> 
> https://discord.gg/8s9nn6cXtu


	9. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Truth Bullets

##### TRUTH BULLETS

  
  


**Monokitsu File 1:** The victim is Haruna Inoue. Her body was discovered in the courtyard by Akane Himura, Megami Tsukima, and Katsu Ueno. The time of death was 10:15PM, and the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the back of the head. Other Information: Death was near instantaneous, no signs of poison or foreign substances, bruises on arms.

**Equipment:** Most of it was dusty, and none of it looked like it had been used at all. It is very unlikely that anything from the courtyard is the murder weapon.

**Secret Passage:** From the kitchen vent to a hidden trapdoor in the courtyard. It's dusty, but some of the dust appears to have been rubbed off haphazardly. Akane also noticed that it’s very small, and very difficult for a tall person to go through it without hurting themselves.

**Garrote:** Found in the secret passage.

**Pink Mush:** Something pink and mushy was found in the drain of the sink. It was confirmed to NOT be human flesh, thankfully.

**Blood Smear:** The edge of the counter had a pink smear on it that looked to be wiped off.

**Plastic Wrapper:** found in the kitchen trash. Covered in oil and has a little bit of blood on it.

**Dirty Kitchen Towel:** covered in olive oil and chloroform.

**Akane’s Testimony:** On the second day of the killing game, Akane hid all of the poisons after Yuudai, Hoshiko, and Haruna told her about them.

**Body Discovery Announcement:** plays when three or more spotless students discover a body; played after Megami saw the body.

**Evening Meeting:** Akane can vouch for everyone’s presence in the evening except for Izumi, Mitsuko, and Hoshiko.

**Dust:** There was dust all over the front of her body; on her vest, her pants, and even on one side of her face.

**Position of the Body:** Her body was found lying facedown on the ground, with her limbs splayed out in different directions.

**Haruna’s Shoes:** The soles of her shoes were coated in olive oil.

**Haruna’s Missing E-Handbook** : It’s usually in her vest pocket, but it was missing after she died.

**Kohaku’s Testimony:** Kohaku was with Haruna in the kitchen from the end of the meeting until 9:40, when Haruna left the kitchen all of a sudden. He remained in the kitchen for another 15 minutes, and then left the kitchen, noticing that one of the kitchen towels was missing. He didn’t think anything of it at the time.

**Aiko’s Testimony:** Aiko was on guard duty starting from 9:00PM. She saw Kenta going into the infirmary, and a few moments later, someone came up from behind her and smothered her with a towel, knocking her out. She woke up inside of the vault.

**Vault Log:** Records when and who has scanned their e-handbooks to open it. It reads: 021638HS+052147HI+060109YO+060212HS.

**Vault Inventory:** the vault contains a variety of deadly weapons, including garrotes, swords, firearms, and a guillotine. There were originally 16 garrotes when Yuudai, Hoshiko, and Haruna first discovered the contents of the vault, but now one is missing.

**Katsu’s Testimony:** During the training session, Katsu claims to have heard someone outside muttering the phrase “Why would she do that?! I shouldn’t have trusted her!”

**Yuudai’s Testimony:** Yuudai and Katsu were in the gym training together during the murder.

**Glass Shards:** found in a toilet in the girls bathroom, coated in oil, and even had a few drops of blood on it.


	10. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Class Trial Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class trial to expose the murderer of Haruna Inoue, the SHSL Rock Climber, begins.

#####  CLASS TRIAL PART 1

_ The trial room could not really be called a trial room. Aside from the circle of podiums and the throne across from the elevator, the room looked more like a glorified cave. The lighting was inconsistent, with only small rays of light peeking through cracks in the ceiling. _

**Hoshiko:** [Narrows eyes] This killing game must have been expensive to set up, and yet this is the best you could do for a courtroom?

**Monokitsu:** [Inquisitive] Haven’t you ever read a story in your life? It’s all about the  _ symbolism _ ! Inoue-san was the SHSL Rock Climber, so it’s only natural that I make the court room for  _ her _ murder reflect that!

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] With all due respect, nobody cares. We have more important things to worry about, such as actually solving said murder.

**Monokitsu:** [Giggles, paw covering mouth] Oho~! It seems like Takeuchi-kun is suuuuuper excited to get the ball rolling!

**Akane:** [Scowl] Or maybe we just don’t want to die.

**Monokitsu:** Okay, okay! We’ll be starting the class trial. Make sure you’re all in the correct places; seating is very important!

**Monokitsu:** And with that, court is now in session!

**CLASS TRIAL: IN SESSION!**

[OST: Class Trial Dawn Edition]

**Monokitsu:** Righty-o! Let’s begin with a quick explanation of the class trial!

**Monokitsu:** Today you’ll be looking into the murder of Haruna Inoue, the SHSL Rock Climber!

**Monokitsu:** The murderer was one of you, and you have to debate over who you think killed her!

**Monokitsu:** At the end of this trial, we’ll be holding a vote to determine who gets convicted!

**Monokitsu:** Vote correctly, and you’ll get to live another day while the murderer gets their due punishment!

**Monokitsu:** But if you vote for the wrong person…

**Monokitsu:** Fufufufufu~....YOU ALL GET AXED! And the murderer gets to get out of jail free!

**Monokitsu:** Also, you’re not on a timer, but pleeeeease try not to take too long to come to a conclusion, cuz the trial ends when I get bored!

**Mitsuko:** Hey, Monobitch, answer me this. [Points] What the fuck is that?!

_ Tachibana-san was pointing at a portrait tacked onto the podium next to her. It was of Inoue-san’s face, and had a big pink X over it. _

**Monokitsu:** Oh, that? Why, that’s your dead friend, of course! I thought you would’ve had a more positive reaction to it, if I’m being honest. I mean really, isn’t it comforting to know that even in death, Inoue-san will always be with you?

**Mitsuko:** [Snarls] Fuck you! She was a living, breathing human being yesterday! Don’t fucking mock her, you piece of shit! This is all  _ your _ fault anyway! Nobody would’ve died if you hadn’t pumped that Despair garbage in the air!

**Monokitsu:** Temper, temper, Tachibana-san~! Why are you blaming  _ me _ for all this?  _ I’m _ not the culprit!

**Mitsuko:** Why, you--

**Kohaku:** We can yell at Monokitsu all we like later, but I would advise all of you to keep your focus on finding the culprit.

**Aiko:** Kohaku-chi’s right, but where do we even begin? I’ve never been to court before, so I wouldn’t know anything about finding a murderer.

**Akane:** Well, why don’t we just start off by discussing the Monokitsu File? I’m assuming everyone here has read it?

**Rani:** I tried, but I gave up halfway through. Japanese ain’t m’first language, and all th’ kanji just started swimming ‘n my head.

**Akane:** In that case, I’ll read it out loud, just so everyone’s on the same page.

_ The trial to debate Inoue-san’s murder has begun… I need to be ready to speak up if I figure out anything. _

  
  


[OST: Discussion -BREAK-]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Monokitsu File #1 | Position of the Body | Glass Shards

  
  


**Akane:** The victim is  **_Haruna Inoue, the SHSL Rock Climber_ ** .

**Rani:** Well, that much is obvious just by looking at her.

**Akane:** Don’t interrupt me! I’m doing this for you, remember?

**Akane:** Anyway, the body was  **_found in the courtyard_ ** . The ones who discovered it were…

**Akane:** Myself, Tsukima-san, and Ueno-kun.

**Kohaku:** The time of death is listed as 10:15 PM…

**Kohaku:** That’s shortly  **_after nighttime_ ** .

**Megami:** The cause of death was  **_blunt force trauma to the back of the head_ ** !

**Kazuko:** “Are we even sure that she was murdered?”

**Hoshiko:** I’m pretty sure that’s the whole reason we’re even at this trial, Koizumi.

**Kazuko:** What I mean is…

**Kazuko:** She died in the courtyard from  **_hitting her head_ ** …

**Kazuko:** And she was the SHSL Rock Climber…

**Kazuko:** So isn’t it easier to say that she  **_fell off the wall_ ** and died?

**Aiko:** Such a fall would definitely be fatal…

**Aiko:** And Haruna-chi wouldn’t have had a Katsu-chi to catch her…

_ As much as I wish that were the truth, I know I shouldn’t think so wishfully when there’s a blatant contradiction in that statement. _

[SOLUTION: Refute “ **_fell off the wall_ ** ” with  **Position of the Body** ]

**Yuudai:** ¡ESTÁ MAL!

**_Break…?_ **

**Kazuko:** “Huh? What was that?”

**Yuudai:** A-Ah, sorry, what I meant to say was…

**Yuudai:** NO, THAT’S WRONG!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Dawn Edition]

**Kazuko:** [Frown] “You don’t have to yell. I’m mute, not deaf…”

**Yuudai:** Sorry, Koizumi-san, I just couldn’t help myself.

**Kazuko:** “Um, that’s fine, but what’s wrong with what I said?”

**Yuudai:** Right, that.

**Yuudai:** Inoue-san couldn’t have fallen to her death. 

**Yuudai:** The cause of death was specifically stated to be blunt force trauma  _ to the back of the head _ . If she had fallen off the wall to her death...then why was her body facedown?

**Kazuko:** “So...somebody really did kill her?”

**Hoshiko:** I thought something like that was obvious. Shouldn’t it go without saying that Inoue’s death wasn’t an accident?

**Yuudai:** [Sigh] We get it, Sasaki-san, you’re a genius. Anyway, now that we’ve made it clear that this was indeed a murder, we can start trying to figure out what happened last night.

**Aiko:** Then what do you think we should discuss next?

**Rani:** Oh, I know! Alibis!

**Megami:** Heh?

**Rani:** I see it on C-R-I-M-E shows all th’ time! Alibis ‘re super important when it comes t’ narrowin’ down suspects!

**Yuudai:** And the culprit is someone who doesn’t have an alibi?

**Rani:** Yeppers!

**Rin:** I don’t think we need to worry too much about it. I...I think I know who the killer is!

**Akane:** What? Already?!

**Monokitsu:** Fufufufufu~...It hasn’t even been ten minutes! This is definitely shaping up to be a speedy trial!

**Mitsuko:** Oh shut the fuck up, fox! [Points at Rin] If you know who did it, then hurry up and open your damn mouth already!

**Rin:** Inoue-san’s spirit tells me that the killer...is you!

_ Kurosawa-kun pointed at...me?! _

**Rin:** Oleastro-kun, you did it!

**Yuudai:** What?!

**Katsu:** That is impossible!

**Hoshiko:** ...You’d better have an explanation for this, Kurosawa.

**Rin:** Of course I do! And I know I’m right on this one; I mean, Inoue-san’s spirit says so!

**Mitsuko:** Nobody cares about that, fuckhead. Just tell us why Oleastro’s the murderer!

_ What the hell’s going on? Kurosawa-kun’s accusing  _ me _ of killing Inoue-san?! I need to defend myself, and prove to him that I didn’t do it! _

  
  


[OST: Discussion -BREAK-]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Yuudai’s Testimony | Secret Passage | Plastic Wrapper

  
  


**Rin:** **_Oleastro-kun killed Inoue-san_**!

**Kohaku:** And why do you think that?

**Rin:** Well, for starters, he was out of his room during nighttime!

**Akane:** But that goes against the nighttime rule we established!

**Katsu:** In all fairness, that was not a rule that could have been enforced…

**Hoshiko:** Kurosawa, get to the point.

**Rin:** The courtyard has a lot of equipment…

**Rin:** Oleastro-kun just grabbed, well,  **_a dumbbell_ ** or something…

**Rin:** And  **_beat her over the head_ ** with it!

**Rin:** Most of us were in our rooms, so  **_nobody would’ve seen him do it_ ** !

**Katsu:** [Sigh] ...

_ I...Where do I even begin with this? If we’re gonna get anywhere in this class trial, I need to set the record straight and prove that I can’t be the culprit. _

[SOLUTION: Refute “ **_nobody would’ve seen him do it_ ** ” with  **Yuudai’s Testimony** ]

**Yuudai:** NO, THAT’S WRONG!

**_BREAK!_ **   
  


[OST: Class Trial Turbulent Edition]

**Yuudai:** What the hell are you saying, Kurosawa-kun?! You of all people should know that I couldn’t have killed Inoue-san! I was with Ueno-kun the whole time!

**Katsu:** Oleastro-shi is correct. We were training together in the gym from around 9:00PM to 1:00AM.

**Aiko:** So then Yuudai-chi has an alibi?

**Yuudai:** Yep, sure do!

**Rani:** Well, couldn’t Yuudai ‘n Katsu just be co-conspirators?

**Katsu:** I beg your pardon?

**Rani:** Well, if th’ two ‘f ya are backin’ each other up, ya could just be each other’s alibis, when ya were really workin’ together!

**Yuudai:** What? No!

**Hoshiko:** That’s impossible.

**Rani:** Ohhhh?

**Hoshiko:** Well, I’m sure you wouldn’t have known better since you can’t actually read, but Rule #6 states that a person who kills someone is known as the blackened, and only that person gets to graduate if they get away with the murder. An accomplice dies with everyone else.

**Yuudai:** Sasaki-san’s right! If I was the murderer and got away with it, that would pretty much be suicide for Ueno-kun.

**Akane:** It’s upsetting to think that you two would just blatantly disregard the rule I proposed with the purpose of keeping everyone safe...but I’m glad you’re innocent.

**Katsu:** I apologize for this breach of the rules, Himura-shi; the blame falls on me.

**Akane:** ...Just don’t get yourself killed.

**Hoshiko:** You’d think Oleastro’s innocence would be obvious, but clearly I had my expectations set too high.

[OST: Class Trial Dawn Edition]

**Rani:** Well duh, I knew that already! I knew ya couldn’t be th’ culprit, Yuudai!

**Yuudai:** But then why accuse me of working together with Ueno-kun?

**Rani:** It’s called playin’ devil’s A-D-V-O-C-A-T-E. If I jus’ blindly follow everythin’ ya say, we could fall into a trap for all we know! A proper debate needs a bit o’ opposition to really get rollin’! ‘Sides, I’m an E-T-Y-M-O-L-O-G-I-S-T! Ya really think I can’t read?

**Akane:** Didn’t you say you had trouble reading the Monokitsu File earlier?

**Rani:** That doesn’t mean anythin’! I can read just fine, and I did read everythin’ there was t’ read! I just wanted t’ get th’ ball rollin’!

**Kohaku:** Er, if we’re finished talking about something that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, I actually have something I’d like to say.

**Hoshiko:** If you’re gonna accuse someone, Takeuchi, then maybe try to have actual evidence this time.

**Kohaku:** Actually, no, that’s not what I was going to say. I was actually wondering if there was any way we can prove someone  _ didn’t _ do it.

_ Anything to prove someone’s innocence? Based on the evidence I collected, this should be it! _

**SELECT EVIDENCE: Body Discovery Announcement**

**Yuudai:** I GOT IT!

**Yuudai:** We actually  _ do _ have a way of figuring out who’s innocent! t’s the Body Discovery Announcement. It goes off after three spotless students discover the body.

**Hoshiko:** And the students listed as discovering the body were…

**Yuudai:** Himura-san, Tsukima-san, and Ueno-kun.

**Akane:** Of course, we already knew that Ueno-kun is innocent because he has an alibi, but with this, my and Tsukima-san’s innocences are confirmed.

**Rani:** So that makes four people who couldn’t’ve dunnit…

**Izumi:** And ten people who could.

**Kohaku:** I think we should then figure out  _ how _ the murder happened. If we know more about what took place, we can narrow down the list of suspects even further.

**Kenta:** Then what about the grass of poor Inoue-san’s demise?

**Mitsuko:** That’s Kenta-speak for the scene of the crime.

**Kohaku:** To be precise, we should talk about the body. Hamasaki-kun and I found a lot of clues on Inoue-san’s body alone.

_ We definitely noticed a lot of things at the scene. I need to make sure to point things out! _

[OST: Discussion -BREAK-]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Dust | Blood Smear | Equipment | Secret Passage

  
  


**Akane:** We  **_found the body in the courtyard_ ** …

**Kazuko:** “I’m pretty sure we were all there to see it.”

**Rani:** I didn’ see  anythin’ that coulda been used as a weapon .

**Rin:** Really?

**Rin:** I mean, the courtyard has a  **_bunch of equipment, like dumbbells and stuff_ ** …

**Rin:** Didn’t the culprit just  **_use one of those_ ** and  **_bash her brains in_ ** ?

**Megami:** Eww, don’t describe it like that, Rin-chan!

**Hoshiko:** Oh, don’t be a baby about it, Tsukima.

**Hoshiko:** This is a murder trial, to discuss  _ who _ bashed her brains in.

**Hoshiko:** You can’t afford to be squeamish.

_ Was there anything at the crime scene that could’ve been a murder weapon? I doubt that. _

[SOLUTION: Refute “ **_use one of those_ ** ” with  **Equipment** ]

**Yuudai:** NO, THAT’S WRONG!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Solar Edition]

**Rin:** Wrong again? Well, shit.

**Yuudai:** Sorry, Kurosawa-kun, but the murder weapon couldn’t have come from the courtyard. I checked all of the fitness equipment, and most of it didn’t even look like it had ever been used for actual training, much less to kill someone.

**Aiko:** If we’re talking about how the murder happened, there’s something that’s been bugging me this whole time…

**Megami:** Oh? What’s wrong, Ai-chan?

**Aiko:** Haruna-chi’s body was in the courtyard…and her head wound was...very bloody…

**Rin:** Ugh...don’t remind me…

**Aiko:** But there was no blood around her, and I think that’s very strange.

**Akane:** Hamasaki-kun, Takeuchi-kun. You two spent the most time at the crime scene; did you see any blood?

**Kohaku:** Come to think of it, no, we didn’t.

**Aiko:** Exactly. And I think we need to figure out why.

**Hoshiko:** Let’s just keep throwing ideas around like last time. That hasn’t failed us so far. One of them’s bound to stick.

_ There’s a distinct lack of blood in the courtyard, the scene of the crime. If Inoue-san was killed in the courtyard, why is there no blood there? _

[OST: Discussion -BREAK]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Blood Smear | Dust | Secret Passage

  
  


**Kenta:** If  **_Inoue-san met with the Reaper in the courtyard_ ** …

**Kenta:** Then why did she shed no blood  **_on the grass of her demise_ ** ?

**Shinobu:** W-Wouldn’t the killer just  clean up the b-blood ?

**Hoshiko:** You can’t just wipe blood off of grass, it’s pointless...

**Mitsuko:** Hell, I dunno…

**Mitsuko:** Maybe she just  died somewhere else or some shit…

**Mitsuko:** And her body was  dragged to the courtyard …

**Shinobu:** B-But why g-go through all that t-trouble?

**Mitsuko:** Hey, it’s a better idea than  **_wiping blood off the fucking grass_ ** !

**Shinobu:** P-Please don’t yell at me!

_ Satou-san has a point: there was no blood at the courtyard, the place where Inoue-san supposedly died. What could explain this inconsistency? _

[SOLUTION: Use  **Dust** to agree with “ dragged to the courtyard ”]

**Yuudai:** I AGREE!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Turbulent Edition]

**Yuudai:** Holy shit! Tachibana-san, I think you’re onto something!

**Mitsuko:** Huh? I just pulled that out of my ass…

**Yuudai:** Well, wherever you pulled that from, it’s probably right.

**Mitsuko:** Fuck yeah! I got something right! ...Um, what the hell did I get right?

**Yuudai:** There’s evidence that proves that Inoue-san could’ve died somewhere else! On the whole front of her body, and even on the side of her face, there’s a ton of dust.

**Shinobu:** Th-The courtyard is very grassy, not d-dusty…

**Yuudai:** That’s right! But there  _ is _ another place that’s very dusty!

**SELECT EVIDENCE: Secret Passage**

**Yuudai:** THIS IS IT!

**Yuudai:** In the courtyard, there’s a hidden trapdoor that leads down into a secret passage.

**Mitsuko:** That shit sounds like something in a fucking movie or video game! How would you even think to find it?

**Yuudai:** Well, I didn’t exactly  _ think _ to find it per se. I just...stumbled upon it.

**Rani:** Literally!

**Yuudai:** Yeah, I fell down the trapdoor and discovered the secret passage. What’s more is that not only was there a lot of dust there, but there were also some very large dust streaks, almost like the dust had been rubbed off.

**Akane:** But I didn’t see any blood when I went down there, so I don’t think that’s where Inoue-san was killed.

**Yuudai:** That leads me to my next point. Neither the secret passage nor the courtyard can be the scene of the crime...

  
  


**THINKING TIME**

_ Question: What is the true scene of the crime? _

_ A: The pantry _

_ B: The vault _

_ C: The kitchen _

  
  
  
  


_ ANSWER: The kitchen _

  
  


**Yuudai:** THIS IS THE ANSWER!

**Yuudai:** I think Inoue-san most likely died in the kitchen.

**Katsu:** I am a fair bit perplexed. How does one jump from the secret passage to the true scene of the crime?

**Yuudai:** I’m glad you asked, Ueno-kun! Rani-san and I actually found a lot of evidence that suggests that the kitchen was the true scene of the crime. Most notably…

**SELECT EVIDENCE: Blood Smear**

**Yuudai:** This is it!

**Yuudai:** There was a blood smear on the counter. It looked like it had been wiped off, but it’s very much noticeable if you look closely enough.

**Yuudai:** Unless anyone here found blood anywhere else, I think it’s safe to assume that Inoue-san was killed in the kitchen, not the courtyard!

[OST: None]

**Megami:** _YOUR REASONING IS OFF-KEY!_

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Odd Edition]

**Megami:** Wow, yelling really is cathartic! I can see why you like doing that all the time, Yuu-chan!

**Yuudai:** Heh...Anyways, what’s wrong with what I said?

_ Tsukima-san slammed her hand down on her podium. _

**Megami:** There’s a lot you haven’t accounted for! You can’t just conclude here and now that Haru-chan was killed in the kitchen!

_ I can understand that it may be quick to conclude that she died in the kitchen, but I  _ do _ have evidence to back up my theory. _

[OST: Objection -CROSS SWORD-]

**REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN**

Truth Blades: Dust | Dirty Kitchen Towel | Glass Shards

**Megami:** You may have found the blood smear in the kitchen…

SLASH!

**Megami:** But that doesn’t mean she was killed there!

SLASH!

**Megami:** In fact, it’s impossible to kill someone in the kitchen!

ADVANCE!

**Yuudai:** What do you mean, it’s impossible!

**Yuudai:** That’s the only possible crime scene!

**Megami:** Haku-chan cleared the kitchen of anything…

SLASH!

**Megami:** That could have been used as a weapon!

SLASH!

**Megami:** There’s  **_no way Haru-chan could’ve been killed in the kitchen_ ** !

SLASH!

**Megami:** Unless you’re saying the culprit bashed her head against the counter?

SLASH!

**Megami:** Because the only one strong enough to do that is Katchan, and he’s innocent!

[SOLUTION: Refute “ **_no way Haru-chan could’ve been killed in the kitchen_ ** ” with  **Dirty Kitchen Towel** ]

**Yuudai:** ¡CORTA LA MIERDA!

**_BREAK!_ **

**Megami:** Yikes! [Giggle] Hehee~ At this rate, we’ll have to have another class trial for my ears! [Frown] But what was wrong with that I said, Yuu-chan?

**Yuudai:** I know what your problem is, and you may think I’m being stupid, but please hear me out on this!

**Yuudai:** I think...the culprit actually did bash her head against the counter?

**Megami:** But nobody’s strong enough to do that!

**Yuudai:** Let me explain!

**Yuudai:** In the kitchen, we found a kitchen towel, which was coated in oil.

**Yuudai:** You said that nobody besides Ueno-kun is strong enough to bash her head in...but what if they didn’t need to be?

**Rani:** OH! I see where yer goin’!

**Yuudai:** If the culprit spilled oil on the floor, and then shoved Inoue-san, she’d slip on the floor and fall, hitting her head on the counter...and dying instantly. In that case, you wouldn’t need to be very strong; you’d just have to make sure Inoue-san slipped on the oil!

**Megami:** Oh...I...guess that makes sense…

**Aiko:** Even so, that’s an...unusual way to kill someone, isn’t it? I think we should keep discussing this, just to make sure that there’s no other way…

[OST: Discussion -BREAK]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Akane’s Testimony | Haruna’s Shoes | Glass Shards | Secret Passage

**Aiko:** What you’re saying is that  **_the culprit spilled the oil on the floor_ ** …

**Aiko:** Pushed Haruna-chi…

**Aiko:** Who then  slipped on the oil and  hit her head on the counter …

**Megami:** That  _ would _ explain the lack of the murder weapon…

**Izumi:** But why go to all that trouble?

**Shinobu:** A-And who’s to say sh-she even slipped in the f-first place?

**Shinobu:** Th-That’s just speculation...there’s  **_nothing that really proves it_ ** , is there?

**Kohaku:** But that’s the only explanation for how the murder happened in the kitchen.

**Kohaku:** Remember, there were  **_no weapons in the kitchen_ ** , because I cleared them out.

**Kohaku:** This would also explain the oil’s relevance in the crime…

_ I know my theory sounds strange, but I’m sure I have evidence to back it up! _

[SOLUTION: Refute “ **_nothing that really proves it_ ** ” with  **Haruna’s Shoes** ]

**Yuudai:** NO, THAT’S WRONG!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Turbulent Edition]

**Yuudai:** Actually, Kawaguchi-kun, I  _ do _ have proof to back my theory up: Inoue-san’s shoes!

**Yuudai:** If you take a look at them, you’ll see that there’s a ton of oil on the soles of them. This proves that Inoue-san did indeed slip on the oil and hit her head on the counter. That was her true cause of death!

**Izumi:** That would explain her head injury; however, there’s one injury in particular that I am still trying to wrap my head around...another open wound.

  
  


**THINKING TIME**

_ Question: What injury is Hamasaki-kun referring to? _

_ A: Her head wound _

_ B: The cuts on her ankles _

_ C: Her bruises _

  
  
  
  


_ ANSWER: The cuts on her ankles _

**Yuudai:** THIS IS THE ANSWER!

**Yuudai:** You’re talking about the cuts on her ankles, aren’t you?

**Izumi:** Indeed. During the investigation, I was unable to find anything that could have caused such injuries.

_ I guess this is what we’re discussing next...If we figure out what was used to cut her ankles, we might get some more insight into how she died… _

[OST: Discussion -BREAK]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Glass Shards | Blood Smear | Secret Passage

**Rin:** What could’ve been used to cut Inoue-san’s ankles?

**Aiko:** The obvious answer would be  **_a knife_ ** …

**Kohaku:** But  **_I hid all the knives_ ** , so that’s not an option.

**Akane:** Then  what other sharp objects could it be ?

**Aiko:** Broken glass is pretty dangerous...if you touch that stuff, you could get seriously hurt!

**Megami:** Is there  anything else it could be ?

**Rani:** We  **_didn’ find any other S-H-A-R-P objects_ ** durin’ th’ investigation...

_ Holy shit! That person’s onto something! _

[SOLUTION: Use  **Glass Shards** to agree with “ Broken glass ”]

**Yuudai:** I AGREE!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Solar Edition]

**Yuudai:** Satou-san, that’s it! Broken glass!

**Aiko:** Oh, did you find any?

**Yuudai:** Koizumi-san did, actually.

**Kazuko:** “Yep! It was in the girls’ bathroom, in one of the toilets!”

**Hoshiko:** The hell? Who dumps glass shards in the toilet?

**Yuudai:** The point is, the glass shards are coated in oil, and they have a little bit of blood on them! This has to be what cut Inoue-san’s ankles!

**Aiko:** Oh my god! I know what those shards really are!

**Kazuko:** “You do?”

**Aiko:** It’s an oil dispenser, of course! The culprit must have broken one of those and  _ that’s _ how Inoue-san tripped and cut her ankles!

**Hoshiko:** I know you’re probably wondering why the culprit would choose this murder method of all things. I think at some point we should discuss the possibility that this murder wasn’t premeditated.

**Izumi:** It would actually explain a lot, if it was an accident.

**Kazuko:** “Wait, what happens if it’s an accident? Does the culprit still get punished?”

[OST: Mr. Monokuma’s Tutoring]

**Monokitsu:** Hell yeah! Murder is murder is murder!

**Hoshiko:** [Narrows eyes] But it would be considered manslaughter, not murder...unless...you consider them all equal?

**Monokitsu:** Hells yeah! What’s in a name? That which we call a death by any other name would smell as sweet!

**Hoshiko:** [Looking away] You could’ve just said “yes”  _ without _ ruining Shakespeare…

[OST: Class Trial Dawn Edition]

**Yuudai:** The point  _ being _ , that it’s something we should consider.

_ The idea of the murder being an accident though...it makes me feel even worse about having to vote for someone as the culprit. _

**Shinobu:** W-Wait a second! 

**Hoshiko:** What is it, Kawaguchi?

**Shinobu:** D-Doesn’t the fact that the shards were in the  _ girls’ _ bathroom mean that the culprit is a girl?

**Yuudai:** Not necessarily...

**Shinobu:** A-And what makes you say that?

_ The piece of evidence that proves that the gender of the culprit is irrelevant is... _

**SELECT EVIDENCE: Haruna’s Missing E-Handbook**

**Yuudai:** THIS IS IT!

**Yuudai:** There was something peculiar about Inoue-san’s body...or rather, it’s peculiar because of what was missing.

**Yuudai:** It’s Inoue-san’s e-handbook.

**Izumi:** This is true. Takeuchi noticed that it wasn’t on her. Presumably, the culprit used it to dispose of the glass, and still has it on them.

**Yuudai:** This proves that the gender of the culprit doesn’t really matter!

**Hoshiko:** I actually think it’s far more likely that the culprit is a male.

**Kohaku:** And what makes you say that?

**Hoshiko:** If the culprit was a female, they could have just used their own e-handbook to get into the girls’ bathroom. But if the culprit was a male, they’d need Inoue’s, since she was a girl. Then, they could make it  _ seem _ like the culprit was female.

[OST: Tropical Despair]

**Rani:** Makes sense...speakin’ o’ th’ culprit, with what we know now...someone sticks out like a sore thumb!

**Kohaku:** Oh?

_ The person Rani-san’s thinking of...they might or might not be our culprit, but they’re at least somewhat suspicious...That person could only be… _

**Rani:** …[XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX], what do you have to say for yourself?

  
  


**SELECT SOMEONE!**

Yuudai Oleastro

Akane Himura

Megami Tsukima

Rin Kurosawa

Aiko Satou

Katsu Ueno

Shinobu Kawaguchi

Hoshiko Sasaki

Kazuko Koizumi

Kenta Shimizu

Mitsuko Tachibana

~~ Haruna Inoue ~~

Kohaku Takeuchi

Izumi Hamasaki

Rani Abhijit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got this chapter up on Kohaku's birthday! Yippee!
> 
> I'll be honest: I was really worried about putting this chapter up. Worried that it would be too easy, that it wouldn't be good enough. But I needed to remember that this is only the first part of the first trial, and that I don't need to get it perfectly right away. And after working on this part for a while, I decided that this is good. What I wrote here is just fine. And there are plenty more mysteries to come.


	11. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Class Trial Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trial continues to find Haruna's killer...but one person in particular sticks out as suspicious.

##### CLASS TRIAL PART 2

  
  
  
  


**[CHOSEN: KOHAKU TAKEUCHI]**

  
  
  
  


**Yuudai:** YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE!

  
  
  


[OST: Tropical Despair]

**Yuudai:** [Looking away] Takeuchi-kun is the one you’re suspecting, right, Rani-san?

**Kohaku:** [Blankly] Ah, I see…

**Rani:** [Smirk] Hells yeah! An’ I actually have proof t’ back up my claim! Yuudai, you should know this, too. You were with me when we got it!

_Unfortunately, I do…_

**SELECT EVIDENCE:** **Kohaku’s Testimony**

**Yuudai:** THIS IS IT!

  
  


[OST: Despair-Syndrome]

**Yuudai:** [Asking] What time did you leave the kitchen last night, Takeuchi-kun?

**Kohaku:** [Blankly] It was around 9:55PM, if I’m not mistaken.

**Yuudai:** I...think that matches what you told me during the investigation. You said that Inoue-san left at 9:40 for whatever reason, and that you left fifteen minutes later. That would make the time…[Counts on fingers]...9:55.

**Hoshiko:** [Narrows eyes] You still count on your fingers, Oleastro?

**Yuudai:** [Pointed stare] Yeah, I do. Bite me.

**Kohaku:** [Narrows eyes] The point, I presume, is that I was at the scene of the crime until about twenty minutes before the time of Inoue-san’s death?

**Yuudai:** [Nods] Yeah, that’s what I think Rani-san found suspicious.

**Kohaku:** [Solemn nod] That’s a fair point. I admit that the timing _does_ make me look suspicious. And I cannot confirm my alibi either, as Kurosawa-kun would have been asleep in preparation for his guard shift.

**Aiko:** [Frown] I know I said I don’t have any experience with trials, but I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to tell us why you’re _not_ the culprit.

**Kohaku:** [Smiles grimly] Admittedly, coming up with a defense that isn’t simply “I didn’t do it”, is no easy task. Just as you probably don’t have conclusive evidence that I’m the culprit, I don’t have conclusive evidence that I’m not the culprit.

**Rin:** [Raises eyebrows] So then, did you kill Inoue-san and also attack Satou-san?

_Is Takeuchi-kun really the culprit? He’s not really making much of an effort to defend himself, but...accusing him of both attacking Satou-san_ and _killing Inoue-san just feels kinda wrong for some reason..._

[OST: Discussion -HEAT UP-]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Evening Meeting | Vault Inventory | Aiko’s Testimony

**Rani:** Kohaku, I assert…

**Rani:** ...That **_you attacked Aiko_ **…

**Rani:** ...an’ **_murdered Haruna_ **!

**Megami:** But would Haku-chan really do something so terrible?

**Akane:** He’s making **_no effort to defend himself_ **…

**Shinobu:** A-And there’s no proof he’s innocent!

**Hoshiko:** Is there any part of this case that **_doesn’t make sense_ **?

**Rin:** I’d say this case is pretty open and shut.

**Rin:** He was the last person at the scene of the crime with the victim.

**Rin:** He attacked Satou-san, **_killed Inoue-san while they were both in the kitchen_ **…

**Rin:** ...And then moved her body to the courtyard…

**Rin:** ...To try and hide the fact that he did it!

**Rani:** Well, if he was trying to hide it, he didn’t do a very good job.

**Kazuko:** “So, is this settled already?”

_So, Takeuchi-kun is the culprit? He attacked Satou-san and murdered Inoue-san?_

_...There’s something about this case that’s bothered me for a while…In order to expose it, I think I’ll need to think outside of the box for this one._

[SOLUTION: Refute “ **_you attacked Aiko_ ** ” with “ **_doesn’t make sense_ **”]

**Yuudai:** NO, THAT’S WRONG!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Turbulent Edition]

**Yuudai:** [Stern expression] Wait, hold on, everyone! We can’t vote yet!

**Rani:** [Head tilt] Ya got somethin’ t’ say, Yuudai?

**Yuudai:** [looks to the side in thought] Yes, I do. There’s something about this case that’s been bothering me this whole time. I...don’t think the culprit was the one who attacked Satou-san.

**Hoshiko:** [Smug expression] I was wondering when we were going to talk about that.

**Yuudai:** [Neutral] Satou-san, would you please explain what happened from your perspective?

**Aiko:** [Deep thought] Right. Last night, at 9PM, I went to the vault immediately after the evening meeting. I was taking on the first guard duty shift, after all. 

**Aiko:** [Furrowed eyebrows] Not an hour into my shift, I saw Kenta-chi going into the infirmary. A few moments later, someone came up from behind me and smothered me with a towel, knocking me right out. 

**Aiko:** [Deep frown] I woke up a few hours later inside the vault. I immediately tried to get out, but I was locked in. If Yuudai-chi hadn’t unlocked the door when he did, I might have been trapped forever…

**Yuudai:** That does indeed match your testimony from the investigation.

**Akane:** [Stern expression] Shimizu-kun, explain yourself.

**Kenta:** [Fake swoon] Himura-san, you believe _me_ to be the dastardly cow who attacked our dear caretaker? Oh, you wound me!

**Akane:** [Narrows eyes] I never said that you were, or even that I thought you were. But Satou-san saw you going into the infirmary right before she was attacked.

**Yuudai:** You should’ve seen _something_ go down while you were there! So, please, tell us about your excursion to the infirmary.

[OST: DISTRUST]

**Kenta:** [Dramatic twirl] Very well! Few know of my ongoing battles with the reaper in the black of night.

**Mitsuko:** [Deadpan expression] Chronic insomnia, in Kenta-speak.

**Kenta:** [Serious expression] I went on a long and hard journey to the infirmary to find the weapon to vanquish him!

**Mitsuko:** [Deadpan expression] Zopiclone.

**Yuudai:** [Deep thought] So, if I have this right so far, you went to the infirmary to pick up sleeping medication because you had insomnia?

**Kenta:** [Grin] I speak but the mere truth!

**Yuudai:** [Raises one eyebrow] And how long would you say you were inside the infirmary?

**Kenta:** [Thinking] Not more than two or three minutes, I suppose.

**Yuudai:** [Deep thought] Then if that’s the case...according to Satou-san’s testimony...you should’ve seen that Satou-san was no longer there when you left…[Neutral expression] and if Takeuchi-kun was the attacker, you should’ve seen him! So, did you see him?

**Kenta:** [Thinking] Satou-san had completely vanished when I left the infirmary...But alas, Takeuchi-kun was not the bandit I beheld in the black of night…[Devilish grin] _’twas the victim herself_.

**Mitsuko:** [Shocked expression] The fuck?!

**Akane:** [Eyes widen] You actually saw Inoue-san?!

**Aiko:** [covers mouth with one hand, eyes widen] Haruna-chi...was the one who attacked me?

**Rani:** [Skeptical expression] That doesn’t really P-R-O-V-E anythin’ on its own...Did ya even actually take th’ sleep meds in th’ first place, or was that a lie?

**Kenta:** I can assure thee that nothing I stated betrayed a single falsehood.

**Akane:** [Serious expression] Then show us the bottle, if you have it on you.

**Kenta:** [Winks at Akane] Anything for you, madame~!

_Shimizu-kun swiped his tophat off his head and from it, produced a bottle of Zopiclone. He handed it to Himura-san, who unscrewed the cap._

**Akane:** [Narrows eyes] The seal is broken. [Neutral expression] It looks like he really did take the Zopiclone for his own personal use.

**Kenta:** [Grin] Indeed! Swifter than Shinano, I pranced back to my chamber and immediately consumed a single pill. [Dramatic twirl] And thus, like the sun, I set down into sleep for the night.

**Shinobu:** [Shakily nods] Y-Yeah, he was out cold...I h-had to wake him up when the Body Discovery Announcement went off.

**Yuudai:** [Slightly irritated expression] This...would’ve been amazing to know earlier, but whatever. _Niets meer te doen_.

_Shimizu-kun saw Inoue-san and not Takeuchi-kun...so Takeuchi-kun can’t be the attacker. But...does this mean that the victim herself was the attacker all along?_

**[** **_Kenta’s Testimony has been added to the Truth Bullets section of your e-handbook._ ** **>**

**Hoshiko:** [Deep thought] Shimizu’s testimony actually provides a lot of useful insight. Not only does it prove that Takeuchi isn’t the attacker, it tells us exactly who the true attacker is.

**Kohaku:** [Pointing pen up] It also proves that I did not lie about Inoue-san leaving the kitchen at 9:40.

_Satou-san’s attacker isn’t the culprit...but they’re pretty obvious now that I think about it._

  
  
  


**THINKING TIME**

_Question: Who attacked Satou-san?_

_A: Haruna Inoue_

_B: Kenta Shimizu_

_C: Rin Kurosawa_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: Haruna Inoue_

**Yuudai:** THIS IS THE ANSWER!

  
  


[OST: Class Trial Solar Edition]

**Yuudai:** [Neutral expression] The attacker...was Inoue-san herself.

**Shinobu:** [Shocked expression] Wh-What?! That’s impossible!

**Yuudai:** [Thoughtful expression] Think about it this way: Takeuchi-kun was nowhere near the vault, and Shimizu-kun can’t be the attacker because he couldn’t have been in the infirmary _and_ gotten behind Satou-san at the same time.

**Rin:** [Skeptical expression] Couldn’t Tachibana-san have just used her magic to make an illusion of him or something?

**Mitsuko:** [Snarl] That’s not how my magic works, dumbass! And I didn’t fucking do it! I was with Rani the whole time!

**Rani:** [Grin, thumbs up] Sure was!

_So, those two have an alibi, as well._

**Akane:** [Dispassionate expression] If not for your alibi, I honestly would’ve suspected you, Tachibana-san. [Slight frown] It’s not like it would’ve been the first time you tried to kill someone.

**Mitsuko:** [Hands on hips, scowl] Oh, shut the fuck up! That stupid Despair shit is what drove me to it! Otherwise I would have never tried to kill Takeuchi no matter how annoying he is!

**Kohaku:** [Awkward, faint smile] Th-That’s fine...I don’t fault you for it entirely, and it doesn’t hurt very much anymore.

**Mitsuko:** [Looks to the wide, clenched teeth] Gh- ...I’m sorry for...attacking you, or some shit…

_That is by far the most half-assed apology I’ve ever heard. But coming from someone like Tachibana-san, it must be sincere._

**Hoshiko:** [Cold expression] Now that you two have kissed and made up, I believe Oleastro was in the middle of saying something?

**Yuudai:** [Nods] Right! [Thoughtful expression] My point being, that the only other person who was there was Inoue-san, so she has to be the attacker.

**Izumi:** [Neutral expression] That leads to my question: _why_ attack Satou in the first place?

[OST: Discussion -BREAK-]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Garrote | Kohaku’s Testimony | Evening Meeting | Secret Passage | Dirty Kitchen Towel

**Izumi:** Even if **_Takeuchi is the culprit_ **…

**Izumi:** He had **_no reason to attack Satou_ **.

**Megami:** But why would Haru-chan attack Ai-chan, then?

**Rani:** Maybe Aiko **_struck first with the intent t’ K-I-L-L_ **?

**Aiko:** And why would I be so stupid as to murder someone on my guard shift?

**Hoshiko:** It’s obvious that  Inoue attacked first .

**Rani:** If ya took even a minute t’ investigate, ya shoulda seen  proof that she was gonna kill someone !

**Shinobu:** Sh-She **_didn’t seem like the type to k-kill_ **…

**Izumi:** Looks can be deceiving, Kawaguchi.

**Rin:** Hamasaki-kun’s right…

**Rin:** She may have looked like a sweet angel on the outside…

**Rin:** But on the inside, she could’ve been a demon…

_Why would Inoue-san attack Satou-san? The answer should be clear when I consider this piece of evidence…_

[SOLUTION: Use **Garrote** to agree with “  proof that she was gonna kill someone ”]

**Yuudai:** I AGREE!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: New Classmate of the Dead]

**Yuudai:** There _is_ evidence that suggests that Inoue-san intended to kill. In the secret passage, Rani-san and I found a garrote!

**Kohaku:** It’s clearly not the murder weapon, as Hamasaki-kun found no such wounds on Inoue-san’s body that could’ve been inflicted by the garrote.

**Shinobu:** Wh-What does the garrote e-even do?

**Izumi:** It’s used for strangulation.

**Aiko:** ...How did you know that, Izumi-chi?

**Izumi:** [Looking away, scratching at neck] There was one time where I fought a pirate who used that kind of weapon. [Stern expression] But that’s besides the point. The thing that matters is that this was not used in the murder.

**Shinobu:** [Frown, hugging arms to chest] But c-couldn’t the killer have just taken it a-after the murder, just to throw us off?

**Hoshiko:** [Stern expression] Impossible. Not only does it make no sense based on what we know happened, we also have evidence that proves that Inoue was the only one who could’ve taken the garrote.

_That piece of evidence...well, it could only be this!_

**SELECT EVIDENCE: Vault Log**

**Yuudai:** THIS IS IT!

  
  
  


**Yuudai:** The vault actually has a log to show who scanned it.

_At that mention, Sasaki-san produced the log again:_

_021638HS+052147HI+060149YO+060212HS_

**Yuudai:** [Thoughtful expression] I figured out that the letters are actually initials. From left to right, they stand for: Hoshiko Sasaki, Haruna Inoue, Yuudai Oleastro, and Hoshiko Sasaki. [Uncertain expression] But admittedly, I still haven’t figured out what the numbers mean.

**Hoshiko:** [Neutral expression] It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. The first entry is when I opened the vault for the first time while we were exploring the facility.

**Kohaku:** [Flipping through notebook pages] It was on the second day of our captivity, if I’m not mistaken.

**Rani:** [Thinking] Th’ first two numbers’re 02, which stands for Day 2, in this case?

_If the first two numbers stand for the day of the killing game, then…_

**Yuudai:** [Eyes widen] I know what the first two numbers on each entry are! Day 2, Day 5, Day 6, and Day 6!

**Hoshiko:** So then Inoue opened the vault on Day 5. But what time?

**Katsu:** [Thoughtful expression] If I may make a point, by taking out the first two numbers and the last two letters, one is left with four numbers in the middle: 1638, 2147, 0109, and 0212. [Blank expression] Now, since we know the vault log records the day and the person, would it not be logical to infer that these numbers tell the time of scanning?

**Hoshiko:** [Slight smirk] That’s...a great point. I’m impressed, Ueno.

**Yuudai:** But what times do these numbers say? I’m...admittedly not very good at math and stuff.

**Izumi:** [Neutral expression] I presumed as much, Oleastro. But I actually think I know what these numbers stand for.

**Kenta:** [Grin] In that case, Hamasaki-kun, please shine the divine light of knowledge onto our ignorant souls!

**Izumi:** [Thoughtful expression] It’s military time, for those of you who haven’t spent much time in Japan. Unlike the 12-hour clock, the military clock runs through 24 hours. For every time after noon, you can convert to the 12-hour clock by subtracting 12 from the first two digits.

**Hoshiko:** [Deep thought] Since it’s primarily the second one we’re concerned about, if we take 21 and subtract 12, we’re left with 9, making the time [Neutral expression] ...9:47.

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] I suppose this is even more proof that I was not lying about Inoue-san leaving the kitchen at 9:40. After all, this time makes perfect sense based on the events that occured.

**Kazuko:** [Frown, lost in thought] “Wait! I have a question!”

**Aiko:** [Raises eyebrow] What it is, Kazuko-chi?

**Kazuko:** “When did Inoue-san even get the chloroform to knock out Satou-san? Wouldn’t Shimizu-kun have seen her in the infirmary?”

_Koizumi-san raises an important question. When_ did _Inoue-san get the chloroform?_

[OST: DIVE DRIVE]

**LOGIC DIVE**

  
  


_Q1: What happened to the poisons after we explored the facility?_

_Himura-san hid them/Nothing happened/I took them_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: Himura-san hid them_

  
  


_Q2: Where did Himura-san hide the poisons?_

_In her room/In the vault/Nobody knows_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: Nobody knows_

  
  


_Q3: When could Inoue-san have taken the chloroform?_

_Before the killing game/While we were exploring the infirmary/After Monokitsu announced the motive_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: While we were exploring the infirmary_

  
  


**Yuudai:** IT’S ALL COMING TOGETHER!

[OST: New Classmate of the Dead]

**Yuudai:** Inoue-san couldn’t have taken the chloroform that night because Himura-san had already hidden all the poisons... [Slams hands down on podium] ...but she could’ve taken them before that!

**Kohaku:** [Furrowed eyebrows] You mean she was…

[OST: Despair Syndrome]

**Rani:** [Frown] Plannin t’ kill th’ entire time? Looks like it.

**Yuudai:** [Nods] ...Indeed...and I have more proof.

**SELECT EVIDENCE: Katsu’s Testimony**

**Yuudai:** THIS IS IT!

  
  


**Yuudai:** [Looking to the side in thought] Ueno-kun, didn’t you say that you heard the culprit while we were training?

**Katsu:** [Thoughtful expression] Indeed. While Oleastro-shi and I were in the gym, I was able to pick up their tone and a few of their words.

**Katsu:** They sounded on edge, even a bit angry...and they said, and I quote: “Why did she do that?! I shouldn’t have trusted her!”

**Shinobu:** [Eyes widen] Th-They...really said that? [Uncertain, hugging arms to chest] B-But how do you know it has anything to do with the m-murder? I-I-It could always be related to s-something else entirely!

**Yuudai:** [Determined expression] I know this is related to the murder. After letting it rattle around in my brain a little, I think I know how we can pick apart the meaning behind the sentence...and get to the truth of this case.

[OST: DIVE DRIVE]

**LOGIC DIVE**

  
  


_Q1: Who does “she” refer to?_

_Aiko Satou/Haruna Inoue/Mitsuko Tachibana_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: Haruna Inoue_

  
  


_Q2: Who does “I” refer to?_

_The culprit/The victim/Someone else_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: The culprit_

  
  


_Q3: What was “that”?_

_“Try to help me”/”Tell me that”/”Try to kill me”_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: “Try to kill me”_

  
  


**Yuudai:** IT’S ALL COMING TOGETHER!

[OST: All All Apologies]

_This is it...I didn’t know Inoue-san for very long, but I still considered her a friend. As much as I don’t want to believe it, there’s no running away from the truth of this case…_

**Yuudai:** [Furrowed eyebrows, explaining] “She” obviously refers to Inoue-san herself. “I” refers to the culprit. And “that”...must translate to “try to kill me”. It makes logical sense, if we think about what happened. 

**Yuudai:** The culprit must not have thought that Inoue-san would try to kill her. They trusted her...and as such, they were taken by surprise when she made the first move…

**Yuudai:** [Dull frown] They got into a scuffle with her, fighting for their life...that must have been when they accidentally knocked over the oil dispenser, spilling it all over the floor...And with one push, they shoved her, and she slipped and fell, dying instantly upon impact.

**Kazuko:** [Eyes widen] “Wait, so when we first brought up the possibility that the culprit killed her on accident…”

**Yuudai:** [Solemn nod] It was a complete accident. Inoue-san had been planning to kill someone this whole time, but the culprit only murdered her in self-defense.

_And yet we’re still expected to vote this person off and send them to their death...are we really doing the right thing here?_

**Rani:** Well, this changes…

[OST: None]

**Rani:** Absolutely N-O-T-H-I-N-G!

[OST: Weekly Despair Magazine]

**Yuudai:** [Surprised] Huh?

**Rani:** So what if Haruna was th’ attacker? [Points at Kohaku] That doesn’t change th’ fact that Kohaku is G-U-I-L-T-Y!

**Kohaku:** [Narrows eyes] What you mean specifically is that while I may not have attacked Satou-san, I still could’ve killed Inoue-san; is that right?

**Rin:** [Uncertain expression] I guess so…

**Kohaku:** [Nod] I see...Fair point.

**Megami:** [Worried expression] Aren’t you gonna defend yourself, Haku-chan? If we vote you and we’re wrong, we’re all gonna die!

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] Oleastro-kun and the others have constructed a fairly solid argument. It’s proving difficult to create a defense.

**Megami:** Are you saying you did it, then?

**Kohaku:** [Shakes head] I never said that.

**Kazuko:** “So then you’re saying you’re innocent?”

**Kohaku:** [Shakes head] I never said that either.

**Megami:** [Slightly irritated expression] Why are you being so wishy-washy about it? Either say you did it or say you didn’t do it!

[OST: None]

**Shinobu:** [Weary expression] Takeuchi-kun, p-please just...give up…

[OST: Almost Hell Heaven]

**Shinobu:** [Shaky, hugging arms to chest] To think that you ended a human life by complete a-accident...it’s horrifying to become a m-murderer against your will. 

**Shinobu:** [Dark expression] You never asked for the blood on your hands, but it’s there anyway, and you can never wash it off.

**Shinobu:** [Sad smile] But...it’s okay. You can give in now and confess to your crime. None of us b-blame you, so y-you don’t have to be afraid anymore.

**Kohaku:** [Pointed stare, twirling pen] ...

_Is Takeuchi-kun really the culprit? He’s definitely suspicious, but he’s not even trying to refute any of my arguments. That_ could _mean that he’s guilty, but...for some reason, to end the trial and vote for him now just feels...wrong…_

[OST: Discussion -PERJURY-]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Monokitsu FIle #1 | Secret Passage | Kohaku’s Testimony | Glass Shards

**Rani:** There’s no doubt in my mind…

**Rani:** **_Kohaku’s th’ culprit_**!

**Aiko:** He’s...definitely the most suspicious person…

**Mitsuko:** Where’s your fucking evidence?

**Mitsuko:** I’m not gonna risk my life on pure fucking speculation!

**Shinobu:** B-But it’s the only thing that makes sense!

**Kazuko:** “I don’t want to believe that Takeuchi-kun would do it…”

**Kazuko:** “But there’s **_nothing that proves his innocence_ **…”

**Akane:** I doubt he’s actually the culprit, but…

**Akane:** He **_hasn’t even tried to defend himself_ ** thus far!

**Katsu:** If you are truly innocent, Takeuchi-shi, then say something.

**Kohaku:** …

_I don’t know how exactly to explain it, but I highly doubt that he’s actually the culprit. It’s far too easy of a conclusion to come to, which makes me think that there’s something we’re overlooking. But...how exactly do I_ prove _him innocent?_

_...I know that lying is bad at a time like this, but...but it technically makes logical sense, and if it leads us closer to the truth, then so be it. Let’s pray that I actually am Super High School Level at lying..._

**[** **_Monokitsu File #1_ ** **>** **_has become_ ** **[** **_The Culprit’s Injury_ ** **>**

_My lie will become the truth..._

[SOLUTION: Refute “ **_nothing that proves his innocence_ ** ” with **The Culprit’s Injury** ]

  
  


**Yuudai:** NO, THAT’S WRONG!

_Takeuchi-kun, if it turns out that you actually are the culprit, I’ll kill you my fucking self._

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Future Edition]

**Yuudai:** [Serious expression] Hold on a second! I think there actually is _one_ thing that could potentially prove Takeuchi-kun’s innocence!

**Rani:** [Skeptical expression] Oh? Then start ‘splainin’.

**Yuudai:** [Neutral expression] While Hamasaki-kun and Takeuchi-kun were explaining what they found on Inoue-san’s body, they told me about the various bruises on her arms. 

**Yuudai:** [Thoughtful expression] Hamasaki-kun said that they were inflicted not long before the time of her death. Since we know she died instantly, on accident, we can presume that those bruises came from a fight that she had with the culprit.

**Yuudai:** [Points with energy] Therefore, the culprit must have fought her and gotten bruised as well!

**Izumi:** [Blank expression] ...

_Please believe me..._

**Izumi:** [Blank expression] ...Ah, I get what you’re saying.

_Thank you so much, Hamasaki-kun…_

**Izumi:** It makes sense. We can just check Takeuchi-kun’s arms for any bruises. If they’re bruised, we vote for him. If they’re not, then he’s innocent.

**Akane:** [Rubs forehead] Speaking of bruises…

_Oh! I just realized something!_ That _could also potentially prove his innocence!_

  
  


**THINKING TIME**

_Question: What else is wrong with Takeuchi-kun being the culprit?_

_A: He’d never kill anybody._

_B: Because he’s too tall to drag a body through the secret passage without hurting himself._

_C: Because he’s being framed by the real culprit._

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: Because he’s too tall to drag a body through the secret passage without hurting himself._

  
  


**Yuudai:** THIS IS THE ANSWER!

  
  
  


**Yuudai:** [Smile] I know exactly what you were gonna say, Himura-san!

**Akane:** You were thinking the same thing?

**Yuudai:** Yeah! Rani-san and I may not have realized it because of our height, but the passage is kinda small. 

**Yuudai:** It would be extremely difficult for someone of Takeuchi-kun’s height to drag Inoue-san’s body through the passage without hurting himself like Himura-san did.

**Akane:** [Nods in agreement] And even when I bent down, I could barely move there. For a tall person, it would already be pretty difficult to move through the passage…

**Yuudai:** [Determined expression] And even more so to move through the passage while dragging a dead body!

**Izumi:** [Neutral expression] Which is all the more reason to check him for any injuries. He may just be innocent.

**Yuudai:** [Intense expression] We can’t vote for him yet! If we end the trial now and convict Takeuchi-kun, we’re all gonna die! I’m sure of it!

**Aiko:** [Uncertain expression] He’s still very suspicious, so I can’t really say he’s innocent just yet.

**Mitsuko:** [Scowl] I think it’s a fuckin’ coincidence that he was even there. I want some real fucking evidence that he did it!

**Kazuko:** “He’s never once stated that he was innocent…”

**Hoshiko:** [Cold expression] That doesn’t necessarily make him guilty.

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] …

**Akane:** [Looking to the side in thought] It looks like we’re split down the middle on this topic.

**Monokitsu:** This is it! The part we’ve all been waiting for!

**Hoshiko:** [Cold glare] What do you want?

**Monokitsu:** Well, since there’s such a split opinion between you all, I think it’s time for a Scrum Debate!

**Katsu:** I beg your pardon?

**Monokitsu:** Two teams, pitting their opinions back and forth in a neat line, until you can reach a consensus!

[OST: V3 Discussion -SCRUM-]

_With that, Monokitsu reached behind himself and produced a large golden key._

_What the actual fuck is he gonna do?_

_The trial podiums began to shake. I gripped the edge of mine, feeling a searing sickness in my stomach as the stands rose into the air. They rose until everyone was a good twenty feet upwards._

_I swallowed and faced forwards, staring intensely at Satou-san, who stood directly across from me, staring back grimly with a stern frown._

  
  


**SCRUM DEBATE**

_Question: Is Kohaku Takeuchi the culprit?_

**Side #1 - He’s the culprit!:** Aiko Satou, Shinobu Kawaguchi, Katsu Ueno, Rani Abhijit, Rin Kurosawa, Kazuko Koizumi, Megami Tsukima

**Side #2 - He's not the culprit!:** Yuudai Oleastro, Kohaku Takeuchi, Hoshiko Sasaki, Izumi Hamasaki, Akane Himura, Mitsuko Tachibana, Kenta Shimizu

  
  


**BEGIN!**

  
  
  


**_He’s the culprit!_ **

**Aiko:** You can't deny that him being at the crime scene shortly before the murder is suspicious, though.

**Shinobu:** A-After Inoue-san left the kitchen, h-he hid in the passage and waited to s-strike!

**Katsu:** Unlike Oleastro-shi, Takeuchi-shi only has his word to back up his alibi.

**Rani:** Who's t'say he _didn't_ go through the passage?

**Rin:** I'll admit it's possible for Takeuchi-kun to be innocent, but we don't have any way to prove it.

**Rani:** But was Yuudai tellin' the truth, or did he just pull that lie outta his ass?

**Kazuko:** "He didn't deny being the culprit, though..."

**Shinobu:** B-But Takeuchi-kun is the only suspect. Who else c-could’ve done it?

**Megami:** But then why won't Haku-chan defend himself if he was innocent?

  
  
  


*

**_He’s not the culprit!_ **

  
  


**Yuudai:** _[Defend]_

**Yuudai:** _[Lie]_

**Hoshiko:** _[Strike]_

**Kohaku:** _[Deny]_

**Izumi:** _[Prove]_

**Akane:** _[Passage]_

**Mitsuko:** _[Before]_

**Mitsuko:** _[Suspect]_

**Kenta:** _[Alibi]_

  
  


*

SOLUTION:

**Aiko <= Mitsuko:** _[Before]_

**Shinobu <= Hoshiko:** _[Strike]_

**Katsu <= Kenta:** _[Alibi]_

**Rani <= Akane:** _[Passage]_

**Rin <= Izumi:** _[Prove]_

**Rani <= Yuudai:** _[Lie]_

**Kazuko <= Kohaku:** _[Deny]_

**Shinobu <= Mitsuko:** _[Suspect]_

**Megami <= Yuudai:** _[Defend]_

  
  
  


*

**Aiko:** You can't deny that Kohaku-chi being at the crime scene shortly _[before]_ the murder is suspicious.

**Yuudai:** Tachibana-san!

**Mitsuko:** 'Shortly' my ass! It was over half a fucking hour _[before]_ Inoue died!

  
  
  
  


**Shinobu:** A-After Inoue-san left the kitchen, h-he hid in the passage and waited to s- _[strike]_!

**Yuudai:** Sasaki-san!

**Hoshiko:** Don't be stupid. We've already proven that Inoue was the one to _[strike]_ first, not the culprit.

  
  
  


**Katsu:** Unlike Oleastro-shi and others, Takeuchi-shi only has his word to back up his _[alibi]_.

**Yuudai:** Shimizu-kun!

**Kenta:** I note at least a few others who lack a reliable _[alibi]_ , and yet Takeuchi-kun is the only one with his head resting in the guillotine?

  
  


**Rani:** Who's t'say Kohaku _didn't_ use the _[passage]_ after he killed Haruna?

**Yuudai:** Himura-san!

**Akane:** I highly doubt he could have gone through the _[passage]_ without hurting himself like I did; he's too tall to drag a body through there!

  
  


**Rin:** I'll admit it's possible for Takeuchi-kun to be innocent, but we don't have any way to _[prove]_ it.

**Yuudai:** Hamasaki-kun!

**Izumi:** But Oleastro and I determined, after I examined Inoue's body, that the culprit had to have been bruised as well. That is how we could _[prove]_ his innocence.

  
  


**Rani:** But was Yuudai tellin' the truth, or was that just a _[lie]_ he pulled outta his ass?

**Yuudai:** ¡Iré!

**Yuudai:** Why the hell would I _[lie]_ for someone I barely know?! My life is on the line, too!

  
  


**Kazuko:** "Takeuchi-kun didn't _[deny]_ being the culprit, though..."

**Yuudai:** Takeuchi-kun!

**Kohaku:** I didn't _[deny]_ it, but I also didn't confirm it.

  
  


**Shinobu:** B-But Takeuchi-kun is the only _[suspect]_. Who else c-could’ve done it?

**Yuudai:** Tachibana-san!

**Mitsuko:** We haven’t even begun to consider any other fucking _[suspect]_ , dumbass! Like Kenta said, there’s plenty of other people who could’ve done it!

  
  


**Megami:** But then why won't Haku-chan _[defend]_ himself if he’s truly innocent?

**Yuudai:** ¡Iré!

**Yuudai:** I'm sure he has his reasons, but it doesn't really matter, because we have a strong enough case to _[defend]_ him!

[OST: Class Trial Revival Edition]

**_CROUCH BIND_ **

**_3...2...1..._ **

**Yuudai, Kohaku, Hoshiko, Izumi, Akane, Mitsuko, Kenta:** THIS IS OUR ANSWER!

**_BREAK!_ **

  
  


_Just as suddenly as they’d risen, the trial podiums sunk back into the ground._

**Yuudai:** [Serious expression] Takeuchi-kun’s guilt isn’t guaranteed! If we vote for him now, we’re all dead!

**Izumi:** [Blank expression] Takeuchi, show us your arms.

_Takeuchi-kun nodded and removed his blazer. And as he rolled up his shirt sleeves, I noticed that...his skin was pristine like porcelain, and bruise-free. Not a trace of injury._

**Kohaku:** [Neutral expression] My arms are just fine.

**Yuudai:** [Neutral expression] There was no actual proof that Takeuchi-kun even killed her in the first place. [Deep thought] It was possible that he was just being framed...but since we know that the culprit only killed on accident, that can only mean one thing…

**Yuudai:** [Slams hands down on podium] Takeuchi-kun being in the kitchen was a total coincidence!

**Mitsuko:** [Determined expression] I knew it! I fucking knew he didn’t do it! He… [Frown] He didn’t even fight back when I...

**Aiko:** [Nods] I...guess he’s innocent.

**Kazuko:** “I dunno...I wanna hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. Takeuchi-kun, just give me a proper answer this time: are you the culprit or not?”

_Takeuchi-kun was silent for a moment. But after he put his blazer back on, he finally spoke up._

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] ...No...I’m not the culprit.

**Megami:** [Inquisitive expression] I believe you now, but why didn’t you say so earlier?

**Kohaku:** [Furrowed eyebrows, hands gripping notebook tightly] That… That can wait for after the trial… We’ll need to focus on finding the true culprit.

**Shinobu:** [Shaky, hugging arms to chest] B-But where do we even go from here?! T-Takeuchi-kun was our only suspect!

[OST: Class Trial Solar Edition]

**Kenta:** [Frown] And that is where you are wrong! Wrong, I say!

**Mitsuko:** [Sideways glance] Got any ideas, Kenta?

**Kenta:** [Thoughtful expression] Indeed! Do remember what I uttered during that wretched debate…I stated then and there that there existed at least a few others without an alibi, besides Takeuchi-kun.

**Yuudai:** Oh yeah! I remember you said that. But how are we supposed to figure out who exactly doesn’t have an alibi?

**Aiko:** Well, we can just state where we were during the murder, and whoever doesn’t have an alibi becomes a suspect...at least, I think that’s how it works? Rani-chi, as the resident crime show enthusiast, what say you?

**Rani:** I think we shoulda done this at th' beginnin’! But better late than N-E-V-E-R, I guess.

**Rin:** Sounds easy enough, I guess. It’s also something that everyone can add onto.

[OST: Discussion -HOPE vs DESPAIR-]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Kenta’s Testimony | Kohaku’s Testimony | Plastic Wrapper | Evening Meeting

**Katsu:** As we have already established, Oleastro-shi and I were together in the gym from 9PM to 1AM...

**Katsu:** That is about as airtight of an alibi as one can get.

**Mitsuko:** Rani and I were in our room until the BDA…

**Rani:** She was showin’ off her magic!

**Hoshiko:** I was with Tsukima in our room as well…

**Hoshiko:** Neither of us were really **_able to sleep very well_ ** because of the Despair Toxin.

**Akane:** **_I don’t exactly have an alibi_** , but…

**Akane:** My innocence is proven by the BDA.

**Kenta:** I was out cold after vanquishing the reaper!

**Shinobu:** I-I was there, too…

**Aiko:** I was locked in the vault for hours, if that counts.

**Kazuko:** “I was in my room alone…”

**Izumi:** As was I. I didn’t leave until the BDA woke me up.

**Rin:** I was sleeping in preparation for my guard duty shift.

**Kohaku:** I suppose it’s unnecessary for me to talk about my alibi, since I’ve already been exonerated.

**Shinobu:** I-I guess **_everyone is accounted for_ **, then!

_We’ve heard from everyone, but as Shimizu-kun said, there’s at least a few people who don’t have an alibi for the murder._

[SOLUTION: refute “ **_everyone is accounted for_ ** ” with **Evening Meeting** ]

**Yuudai:** NO, THAT’S WRONG!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Universal Edition]

**Yuudai:** Hang on a second! There’s still some people whose presences were unaccounted for! 

**Yuudai:** For one, most of us were at the evening meeting except for Tachibana-san, Sasaki-san, and Hamasaki-kun. 

**Yuudai:** The former two have an alibi because they were with someone at the time of the murder, which just leaves Hamasaki-kun, who was alone.

**Akane:** Well then. Hamasaki-kun, I don’t believe we’ve seen you all day. What were you doing?

**Izumi:** Like I said, I was primarily in my room, alone.

**Rani:** That doesn’t count! An alibi’s when ya can actually prove ya couldn’t’ve done it! Whether ya have a witness like most of us, or something else that prevents ya from bein’ th’ culprit, like when Aiko was locked up in th’ vault!

**Yuudai:** Right. And I can actually tell you everyone who doesn’t have an alibi based on the evidence and testimonies we’ve gathered so far.

**THINKING TIME**

_Question: Who doesn’t have an alibi?_

_A: Rin, Kazuko, and Izumi_

_B: Yuudai, Katsu, Megami, Akane_

_C: Shinobu, Rin, Kazuko, and Izumi_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: Shinobu, Rin, Kazuko, and Izumi_

  
  


**Yuudai:** THIS IS THE ANSWER!

[OST: Class Trial Revival Edition]

**Yuudai:** [Points] Shinobu Kawaguchi, Rin Kurosawa, Kazuko Koizumi, Izumi Hamasaki.

**Yuudai:** [Neutral expression] You four all lack an alibi.

**Shinobu:** [Shocked, hugging arms to chest] Wait, what?! Yuudai-kun, wh-why am I being lumped with those three! I mean, they were all a-a-alone at the time, but what about me? I was with Shimizu-kun!

**Yuudai:** [Thoughtful expression] The answer actually lies within Shimizu-kun’s testimony. Namely, the fact that he was knocked out cold with the Zopiclone.

**Yuudai:** The others would have woken up at night because apparently the Despair Toxin made it difficult to sleep. I haven’t actually slept, so I couldn’t tell you myself. But Sasaki-san said it!

**Hoshiko:** Indeed.

**Yuudai:** [Serious expression] If anyone with a roommate had tried to commit the murder and then come back, they most likely would’ve been caught. However, since Shimizu-kun was out cold and didn’t even wake up by himself when the BDA went off, you could have killed Inoue-san and not gotten caught by him. That means your alibi no longer holds up.

_The first phase of this trial is finally over; we know what happened. Now it’s only a matter of who. I feel like we’re so close, and yet so far from finding out who killed Inoue-san. But I know, deep down, that one of these four must be the culprit._

_The question is...which one? That’s what we need to answer. If we can’t deduce the true culprit, we’ll all die here...and there’s no way I can let that happen._

**CLASS TRIAL: SUSPEND**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the next part is finally here, on Megami's birthday, and Valentine's Day!
> 
> A lot of stuff happens in this chapter. Any guesses on who the killer is?
> 
> Next part will probably be the past part of the trial, and then there will be a post-trial part to conclude Chapter 1. And then after that, we'll be on Chapter 2! It's crazy that I've even made it this far, and this is by far the longest fic I've ever written.


	12. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Class Trial Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the first class trial comes to a close. Did you manage to guess who the culprit was?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha. Kawaii's a dumbass and forgot to make note of trial placements so, uhh, here they are!
> 
> https://sta.sh/0x9rv3nmrps

##### CLASS TRIAL PART 3

**CLASS TRIAL: RESUME**

[OST: BOX 15]

**Rani:** [Determined expression] Aighty, let’s go ova’ what we know!

**Rani:** [Looks to the side in thought] We know that th’ murder happened last night in th’ kitchen, and th’ culprit moved th’ body t’ th’ courtyard.

**Rani:** We also know that it was an A-C-C-I-D-E-N-T, an’ that Haruna’d planned t’ kill th’ whole time!

**Megami:** [Neutral expression] The murder weapon appears to have been, well, the counter.

**Aiko:** [Deep thought] Not only is it made of granite, but either the culprit or Haruna-chi spilled an oil dispenser while they were fighting, which caused Haruna-chi to slip and fall, hitting her head and… [Disturbed expression] ...dying instantly.

**Akane:** [Neutral expression] We also know that everyone seems to have an alibi except for Takeuchi-kun, Kurosawa-kun, Kawaguchi-kun, Koizumi-san, and Hamasaki-kun. However, we already proved Takeuchi-kun innocent.

**Yuudai:** [Thoughtful expression] Exactly. Now we’re down to our last four suspects, and I’m almost positive that one of them is the killer.

[OST: Class Trial Universal Edition]

**Izumi:** [Folds arms with dispassionate expression] I know I’m everyone’s favorite murder suspect, but I’m not the killer.

**Kazuko:** [Frustrated expression] “I didn’t do it! It’s not me!”

**Kazuko:** [Points to ears] “...Monokitsu, do these handbooks have Bluetooth compatibility?”

**Monokitsu:** But of course! Anything and everything for my dearest girl~!

**Aiko:** [Glare] That sounds so wrong coming from you.

_Koizumi-san messed around with her e-handbook for a few moments before aggressively typing her response._

**Kazuko:** [Scowl] “I’m not the culprit!”

_The voice of Koizumi-san’s text-to-speech app reverberated throughout the courtroom through the speakers, which I didn’t even see before. They looked like rocks that were a part of the cave all along._

**Rin:** I’ll prove my innocence to you!

**Shinobu:** I-It’s not me, I swear!

_Oh no...everyone’s starting to go crazy...I need to focus really hard this time and catch any contradictions I hear!_

[OST: Discussion -PANIC-]

**MASS PANIC DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Secret Passage | Katsu’s Testimony | Glass Shards | Evening Meeting

**Kazuko:** “I didn’t do it!”

**Izumi:** This **_isn’t the first time_ ** I’ve been accused of murder…

**Shinobu:** I’m n-not the culprit!

**Kazuko:** “Just because Satou-san wasn’t with me…”

**Izumi:** But just like I didn’t kill Sasaki back then…

**Shinobu:** I don’t even know why Y-Yuudai-kun is accusing me!

**Kazuko:** “And I technically **_don’t have an alibi_ **…”

**Izumi:** I **_didn’t kill Inoue_ ** this time.

**Shinobu:** I was **_with Shimizu-kun the wh-whole time_ **, sleeping!

**Kazuko:** “Does _not_ automatically make me the killer!

**Akane:** Where’s your evidence?

**Shinobu:** **_I have an alibi!_**

**Aiko:** Why are we even accusing Kazuko-chi?

**Akane:** You have **_no alibi_ **, and frankly, I don’t know if I can trust you.

**Mitsuko:** Kenta was **_knocked out cold_ **, moron.

**Aiko:** There’s absolutely no evidence that pins anything on her.

**Izumi:** That’s fine; I don’t trust any of you either…

**Mitsuko:** He wouldn’t’ve woken up if you had just gotten back from killing Inoue!

**Rin:** The **_same goes for me_ **!

**Izumi:** I guess that means I couldn’t have said what the killer said in Ueno’s testimony.

**Shinobu:** Th-That’s **_not real evidence!_ **

**Rin:** I really was **_in my room_ **, preparing for my guard duty shift!

**Hoshiko:** Some actual evidence would be much appreciated, Hamasaki.

**Shinobu:** O-Or does this mean y-you don’t have any?!

**Megami:** I really wanna believe it’s not you, Rin-chan...

**Izumi:** Oh, that…

**Kohaku:** Is there perhaps **_another way for you to get an alibi_ **? Like how Satou-san was trapped in the vault. 

**Megami:** But if you can’t actually prove you didn’t do it...

**Izumi:** Same case as Takeuchi, I guess…

**Kohaku:** She was alone, but she had an excuse for why she couldn’t have done it.

**Megami:** Then that makes you pretty suspicious…

**Shinobu:** I-I don’t know! **_Maybe???_ ** I’m no good at this t-trial stuff…

_Oh wait! I have evidence to back up_ that person’s _statement!_

[SOLUTION: Use **Secret Passage** to agree with “  Same case as Takeuchi ”]

**Yuudai:** I HEARD IT!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Revival Edition]

**Yuudai:** [Slams hands down on podium] Everyone, settle down!

**Katsu:** [Blank expression] Is there something you wish to say, Oleastro-shi?

**Yuudai:** [Nod] Mhmm. [Pointing with energy] Hamasaki-kun’s definitely not the culprit! And I have evidence to back me up!

**Yuudai:** [Thoughtful expression] Remember one of the factors that made us doubt that Takeuchi-kun was the culprit?

**Akane:** It was that he was too tall to feasibly drag a body through the secret passage.

**Aiko:** [Eyebrows furrowed] On that note, how tall is he exactly?

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] There’s a bunch of profiles in the “Students” section of our e-handbooks. [Thoughtful expression] It says here that Takeuchi is roughly 183 cm, or 6’0” for the foreigners.

**Izumi:** [Arms crossed, looking to the side] I’m barely shorter than him, only by around 3 cm.

**Yuudai:** [Thinking] I highly doubt Hamasaki-kun could’ve fit very well through the passage. Actually… [Looks upwards pensively] Himura-san, you were the one who brought this fact up, what do you think?

**Akane:** [Looks up and to the right thoughtfully] I’m 188 cm, or 6’2”. If I had to estimate, I’d say...nobody taller than Inoue-san or maybe Shimizu-kun would be able to use it effectively. 

**Akane:** [Blank expression] If a tall person were the culprit they’d be far better off just leaving the body than going to all that trouble to mix up the crime scene.

**Izumi:** [Irritable expression] If that isn’t enough to prove my innocence, I had no reason to even _be_ in the kitchen at that time. I barely come to the dining hall for meetings, why would I come after the fact?

**Megami:** [Head tilt] Because you were hungry?

**Izumi:** [Deadpan] I’m never hungry.

**Rani:** [Skeptical expression] Not a lotta physical evidence here. This’d never fly in a court o’ L-A-W, but...this isn’t actually a court o’ law, now is it?

**Hoshiko:** [Deep thought] Not to mention, there really aren’t a lot of moving parts to this case. The actual events are fairly simple fundamentally, but there isn’t very much evidence tied to one person or another. [Blank expression] Most of it is circumstantial at best.

**Yuudai:** [Neutral expression] Still, that doesn’t mean we can just disregard what we _do_ have. Eventually, we’re going to have to decide who we think did it.

**Rin:** [Frown] And we’re not detectives or anything...we’re just high schoolers.

**Aiko:** [Determined] We’re so close to finding the culprit though, I just know it!

[OST: Class Trial Dawn Edition]

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] On this note, can we eliminate Hamasaki-kun from the suspect list, though? I think that him being the culprit is a fair bit too obvious.

**Akane:** Oh? How so?

**Kohaku:** [Neutral expression] Earlier, he called himself ‘everyone’s favorite murder suspect’. That implies that he feels that nobody trusts him. If he actually killed Inoue-san, he would probably feel like we’d find him out immediately. 

**Kohaku:** [Looking upwards pensively] That’s why I believe that at this point in time, he wouldn’t even bother trying to get away with murder. But this culprit clearly took many steps to try to get away with it.

**Kohaku:** [Thoughtful expression] Moving the body and cleaning up the kitchen, for instance. And even the time of the crime is another thing. It’s easy to fake an alibi at nighttime, because it’s expected that most people would be asleep at this time.

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] And it’s more likely than not that we _do_ have enough evidence to accuse a specific person. We’re just not thinking hard enough. 

**Kohaku:** [Neutral expression] Also, Hamasaki-kun actually has an alibi.

**Yuudai:** [Irritable expression] That would’ve been a wonderful thing to mention at the beginning of your speech! Hell, at the beginning of the trial! Then we wouldn’t have had to waste so much time!

**Kohaku:** [Pushing glasses up] My apologies. It simply slipped from my mind while I was being accused. [Slight frown] Getting ganged up on is quite...overwhelming.

**Mitsuko:** [Irritated expression] Just tell us his fucking alibi already. And you better not be bullshitting, cuz if you are, I’ll fucking smite your ass!

**Kohaku:** After I left the kitchen, at 9:55, I went back towards the male dormitories. I saw Hamasaki-kun outside of his room, and I thought it was unusual, so I decided to have a chat with him right outside of his room. It lasted until about 10:35. If that’s not a solid alibi, then I don’t know what is.

**Rani:** And we can trust you _why_?

**Kohaku:** [Neutral expression] It’s quite simple, really: I have no reason to lie for anyone here, and I’m innocent, so if we vote for the wrong person, I’ll die too, and I don’t want to die.

**Rani:** [Raises eyebrow] But then...Izumi, why didn’t ya say anythin’ earlier when Kohaku was bein’ A-C-C-U-S-E-D?

**Izumi:** [Crosses arms, cold expression] ...Because I don’t like talking and you all irritate me to no end.

**Hoshiko:** [Deadpan] I feel that.

**Akane:** [Irritated expression] This is life or death! That’s not an excuse not to cooperate with the rest of us!

**Kohaku:** [Scratches back of neck] Even so, you can’t say it’s not in-character for someone as reclusive and avoidant as Hamasaki-kun.

_Takeuchi-kun_ is _innocent, that much we proved not too long ago...but he’s lying about his and Hamasaki-kun’s alibis._

_That said...it would be hypocritical of me to call them out on it, after they believed in me and supported my lie. And besides, I highly doubt that Takeuchi-kun would be stupid enough to put his life on the line yet again if Hamasaki-kun was actually the culprit._

_So I’ll believe in the two of them._

**Rani:** That’s...fair, I s’pose.

**Kohaku:** So please add this to my testimony.

**[** **_Kohaku’s Testimony has been updated._ ** **>**

**Akane:** [Looking upwards pensively] So that just leaves three suspects left to argue for their innocence.

**Yuudai:** [Deep thought] Hmmmmmmmmm… [Determined expression] Actually, make that two. I have evidence to prove someone innocent.

  
  


**THINKING TIME**

_Question: Who can I rule out as a suspect?_

_A: Kazuko Koizumi_

_B: Shinobu Kawaguchi_

_C: Rin Kurosawa_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: Kazuko Koizumi_

**Yuudai:** THIS IS THE ANSWER!

  
  


**Yuudai:** We can rule out Koizumi-san as a suspect.

_What’s the one piece of evidence I have that prevents her from being the culprit?_

**SELECT EVIDENCE: Katsu’s Testimony**

**Yuudai:** THIS IS IT!

  
  


**Yuudai:** [Thoughtful expression] Remember Ueno-kun’s testimony from earlier?

**Katsu:** You refer to when I recalled the culprit’s words outside the gym, right?

**Yuudai:** [Determined expression] Yep, exactly! And the thing about it that proves her innocence is…

  
  


**THINKING TIME**

_Question: How does Ueno-kun’s testimony prove Koizumi-san’s innocence._

_A: Koizumi-san would never say something like that._

_B: Koizumi-san doesn’t trust anyone._

_C: Koizumi-san can’t speak._

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: Koizumi-san can’t speak_

**Yuudai:** THIS IS THE ANSWER!

  
  


**Yuudai:** [Neutral expression] It’s impossible for Koizumi-san to have been the one who said that because… [Confident grin] ...she can’t speak.

**Kazuko:** “Exactly! I’m mute, but not selectively: I quite literally have no vocal cords. It’s kind of the whole reason I use text-to-speech. And if I was the killer, I’d have no reason to type something in the app and incriminate myself like that! That’s just dumb!”

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] Excellent point.

**Aiko:** [Looking to the side in thought] Also, it would be really weird for her to “find” the glass shards if she was actually the culprit. [Neutral expression] I’m pretty sure if you were a murderer you’d want to _hide_ evidence.

**Rani:** [Looking upwards pensively] I’d say Kazuko coulda just been tryin’ t’ steer us off track, but we already proved that th’ glass shards were L-E-G-I-T a long time ago. [Confident grin] So we can believe in her!

**Kazuko:** “I’m not the culprit, Hamasaki-kun’s not the culprit, so it’s either Kurosawa-kun or Kawaguchi-kun!”

[OST: Living in a Lazy Parallel World]

**Yuudai:** [Scrutinizing gaze] Both of you are short enough to move through the secret passage without any trouble, and neither of you has an alibi. 

**Yuudai:** [Sheepish smile] Also, you both very clearly have working vocal cords. [Pointing] Either of you two could have killed Inoue-san easily and not gotten caught!

**Aiko:** [Furrowed eyebrows] I find it hard to believe that either of them is the culprit. Rin-chi literally passed out when he saw the body, and Shinobu-chi’s a good kid, he’d never get involved in a crime like this.

**Akane:** [Awkward smile] It’s sweet of you to defend the two of them like that, but that’s not real evidence, Satou-san. 

**Rin:** But hey, this could all just be a coincidence, like with Takeuchi-kun!

**Hoshiko:** [Cold expression] But Takeuchi was able to be proven innocent with evidence. He even had an alibi. So unless you can actually prove you’re not the culprit, saying it’s just a coincidence isn’t going to cut it.

**Shinobu:** [Scowls, hugging arms to chest] Th-This is all bullshit!

**Kohaku:** Oh? Such an outburst really isn’t like you, Kawaguchi-kun. Perhaps you’d like to explain what you mean by that?

**Shinobu:** [Angrily points] Shut up! I’m not the killer! Y-You all clearly ran out of e-evidence, so you’re trying to lie your way into v-voting one of us!

**Yuudai:** [Irritable expression] Don’t you realize that I’m accusing you based on the facts of the case, which I have proven, _with evidence_?

[OST: Weekly Despair Magazine]

**Shinobu:** [Snarls] Y-You can accuse me all you want, but y-you’ll never get anywhere! K-Kurosawa-kun’s probably the killer anyway. Why else w-would he m-make stupid accusations and say stuff that isn’t true?

**Rin:** [Bitter frown] Well, I’m _sorry_ for trying to be useful and do the right thing! I didn’t know _that_ was such a horrible crime!

**Shinobu:** N-Not as horrible as killing someone!

**Rin:** [Glares] Oh, fuck off! You’re just trying to accuse me with whatever you can think of to cover your own ass!

**Kohaku:** [Firm expression] Kurosawa-kun, Kawaguchi-kun, please settle down. We won’t be able to make progress in this trial if you keep bickering like that. There are more productive ways of deciphering the identity of the culprit, but squabbling is not one of them.

**Hoshiko:** [Cold expression] Both of you, show us your arms. We proved Takeuchi’s innocence that way, and we can prove yours all the same.

_Kurosawa-kun rolled up the sleeves of his turtleneck, and Kawaguchi-kun reluctantly unfolded his arms. When I took a look at their arms, I noticed that...neither of them had any visible bruises?_

[OST: Heartless Journey]

**Rin:** [Confident grin] We’re both bruise-free!

**Mitsuko:** [Furrowed eyebrows] Does that mean Oleastro was wrong?

_Was I…? I was so sure that one of them was the culprit, but if neither of them have visible bruises, that means that neither of them would’ve fought Inoue-san...and neither of them could be the culprit._

_But if Kurosawa-kun and Kawaguchi-kun aren’t the culprit, then nobody is. But...that’s not right either._

_One of us has to be the culprit. But who?_

_I...I don’t know. We’re so close to finding the culprit, and I don’t know!_

**Megami:** [Points with energy] No, that’s wrong!

**Yuudai:** [Surprised expression] Huh?

**Akane:** [Raises one eyebrow] I thought that was Oleastro-kun’s catchphrase?

[OST: None]

**Megami:** [Serious expression] I…

[OST: Tropical Despair]

**Megami:** [Serious expression] I have a really bad feeling about who the killer is… Yuu-chan, check the evidence again! It’s...kinda hard to explain, but trust me!

_I did as she said and looked back through all the evidence I had gathered throughout the investigation, as well as the additional testimony...and suddenly, the truth hit me like a freight train. How could I have overlooked something like this?_

_Or maybe...a part of me knew, and I just didn’t want to say anything. But even so, I can’t run away from the truth forever. It’s time for me to face it head on._

_...They were hiding in plain sight all along...son of a bitch..._

**Kohaku:** [Concerned expression] Oleastro-kun? You look troubled. Is something the matter?

**Megami:** [Sad smile] You figured it out, haven’t you? There’s only one person who could’ve done everything the culprit did.

**Yuudai:** [Pained] I...I...I know who the culprit is.

_My mouth was dry, and I felt absolutely sick to my stomach. But I lifted my head up and locked eyes with my suspect._

  
  


**SELECT SOMEONE!**

Yuudai Oleastro

Akane Himura

Megami Tsukima

Rin Kurosawa

Aiko Satou

Katsu Ueno

Shinobu Kawaguchi

Hoshiko Sasaki

Kazuko Koizumi

Kenta Shimizu

Mitsuko Tachibana

~~Haruna Inoue~~

Kohaku Takeuchi

Izumi Hamasaki

Rani Abhijit

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**[CHOSEN: SHINOBU KAWAGUCHI]**

**Yuudai:** YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE!

  
  


[OST: None]

**Yuudai:** [Pained] ...Kawaguchi-kun...please, say something before I do.

**Shinobu:** [Surprised expression] H-Huh? What are you on about?

[OST: Despair Syndrome]

**Yuudai:** [Pained] You did it. You killed Inoue-san.

**Aiko:** [Eyes widen] What? Are you sure about that?

**Rin:** [Blinks in shock] That was awfully fast. You just skipped past the mystery of the missing bruises and landed right onto whodunnit!

**Akane:** [Serious expression] Can you prove that Kawaguchi-kun actually did it?

**Yuudai:** [Pained] ...Unfortunately, I can…

[OST: Class Trial Turbulent Edition]

**Shinobu:** [Wide eyes with open frown] B-Bullshit! I’m n-not the fucking killer! Wh-Where’s the blood? Isn’t it weird that not only is the crime scene clean, but I d-didn’t get any blood o-or oil on me?

**Mitsuko:** [Irritated expression] You could’ve just changed your clothes once you got back to your room. You should’ve had at least a few more outfits left.

**Shinobu:** [Wide eyes with open frown] Wh-What about the crime scene? C-Can you explain that? Huh? I b-bet you can’t!

**Hoshiko:** [Looks to the wide with irritated expression] So damn annoying… [Cold gaze] ...Oleastro, tell Kawaguchi where the blood went so he’ll stop wasting our time.

_I figured Kawaguchi-kun wasn’t going to give in that easily. But I know he’s the killer, and I’m determined to prove it with everything that I’ve got!_

**SELECT EVIDENCE: Pink Mush**

**Yuudai:** THIS IS IT!

  
  


**Yuudai:** [Serious expression] It’s the pink mush I found in the drain of the kitchen sink!

**Rani:** [Grin] We confirmed during th’ investigation that it’s N-O-T human flesh, so don’t worry ‘bout that.

**Aiko:** But what is it exactly?

_I guess I should probably answer this, just so that no piece of evidence is left unexplained. I feel like I kinda know what it might be, but I’ll have to think really hard about it to figure out what exactly it is._

[OST: Flashing Anagram]

  
  


**HANGMAN’S GAMBIT**

_Question: What was the pink mush before it was shoved down the drain?_

_PWEAS RETPLO_

  
  
  
  


_ANSWER: Paper towels_

  
  


**Yuudai:** I’VE SOLVED IT!

  
  


[OST: Class Trial Universal Edition]

**Yuudai:** [Points with energy] Paper towels!

**Kazuko:** “Huh? That was random.”

**Mitsuko:** [Confused glare] Yeah, dude! You fuckin’ went all silent on us and _that’s_ the first thing you say?

**Yuudai:** [Sheepish smile] Er, sorry about that. [Neutral expression] What I mean is, that’s what the pink mush used to be!

**Yuudai:** After the culprit killed Inoue-san, they needed to clean up the crime scene to hide the fact that it was in the kitchen. 

**Yuudai:** They probably couldn’t have used the kitchen towel since they’d already used it to wipe off all the oil, making it completely saturated in it. 

**Yuudai:** So they just used paper towels to wipe the blood, and then they tried to shove it down the drain for...some reason.

**Aiko:** [Frowns] They probably wanted to use the garbage disposal in the sink to get rid of it, which is a terrible thing to do. [Scolding expression] Throw the paper towels out, don’t put them in the sink; it’ll clog the drain!

**Yuudai:** [Scratches back of neck] Uhh, yeah, what she said. [Neutral expression] So, does that answer your question, Kawaguchi-kun?

**Shinobu:** [Clutching arms] Y-Yes...but why did you decide that _I_ did it? I-It’s still too early for that! Kurosawa-kun is still a suspect!

**Kohaku:** [Pointed gaze] It’s not that I don’t believe you, Oleastro-kun, but I want to know why exactly you think Kawaguchi-kun is guilty and not Kurosawa-kun.

_Proving that Kurosawa-kun’s not the culprit? I think I can do that._

[OST: Discussion -HEAT UP-]

**NONSTOP DEBATE**

Truth Bullets: Kohaku’s Testimony | Secret Passage | Plastic Wrapper | Kenta’s Testimony

**Shinobu:** J-Just because I’m a suspect…

**Shinobu:** Doesn’t mean **_Kurosawa-kun is automatically innocent_ **!

**Mitsuko:** I’m sure Oleastro will explain his reasoning…

**Mitsuko:** If you’d just shut up and let him speak!

**Hoshiko:** Also, you wasting our time really doesn’t make you any less guilty.

**Shinobu:** I’m telling you, it's n-not me!

**Shinobu:** S-Sure, **_I could’ve killed Inoue-san_ ** without getting caught…

**Shinobu:** But **_so could Kurosawa-kun_ **!

**Shinobu:** E-Either of us could’ve **_killed her_ **…

**Shinobu:** **_Moved her body back to the courtyard_** through the passage…

**Shinobu:** A-And then, and then go back to our rooms **_without being spotted_ **!

**Akane:** Is that your whole argument?

**Akane:** ‘I’m not guilty, but even though I could be guilty, so could Kurosawa-kun?’

**Rin:** I mean, I guess I get **_why you’d suspect me_ **…

**Rin:** But I keep telling you, I’m not the killer!

**Shinobu:** Th-Then prove it!

**Rin:** I don’t know how! I’m not smart like you guys!

_You might not know how to prove your innocence, but I do._

[SOLUTION: Refute “ **_without being spotted_ ** ” with **Kohaku’s Testimony** ]

**Yuudai:** NO, THAT’S WRONG!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Revival Edition]

**Yuudai:** [Determined] Actually, that’s not even a little bit true.

**Shinobu:** [Shooketh] H-Huh?!

**Rin:** [Surprised] Wait, it isn’t?

**Yuudai:** It might be easier if I showed you first before explaining it. Just take out your e-handbooks and pull up the map.

**Yuudai:** Specifically turn your attention to the male dormitories and how they’re positioned.

**Yuudai:** Room 1M is in the top right hand corner, and the other rooms are positioned counterclockwise...I think.

**Hoshiko:** [Blank expression] You’re fine, go on.

**Yuudai:** [Neutral expression] My point being that Kurosawa-kun is in Room 3M, while Kawaguchi-kun is in Room 1M. According to Takeuchi-kun’s testimony, he and Hamasaki-kun were standing right in front of Hamasaki-kun’s room, which is 4M. 

**Yuudai:** [Thoughtful expression] Since 3M and 4M are right next to each other, those two would’ve seen Kurosawa-kun if he’d tried to go back to his room...but since Room 1M was across, they wouldn’t have seen Kawaguchi-kun.

**Rani:** [Skeptical expression] ‘M not sayin’ Kohaku’s lyin’ on this one. I do believe he’s bein’ honest with us, but...how come Katsu was able t’ hear Shinobu say that one thing and Kohaku wasn’t?

**Katsu:** [Neutral expression] It is quite simple, actually. Kawaguchi-shi was not speaking very loudly. It was more of a...loud whisper. As for how I could hear it...the gym has some of those peculiar looking windows just like in the classroom. I just heard it through one of those.

**Megami:** [Amazed] But how could you possibly pick up on something so subtle?

**Katsu:** [Neutral expression] I have extremely sensitive hearing. Unfortunately, not so sensitive that I could have actually made out the owner of the voice, since they were moving and speaking very quietly. 

**Katsu:** So much so that I could not even make out their footsteps. Were Kawaguchi-shi a little bit louder, I am quite confident that I could have caught him just based on the way his footsteps sound.

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] My hearing isn’t nearly as strong as Ueno-kuns, so I couldn’t have heard something like that if it wasn’t loud enough.

**Izumi:** [Blank expression] Same goes for me.

**Rani:** [Thoughtful expression] I see...well, does this answer your question, Shinobu?

**Shinobu:** [Snarl] Th-That doesn’t prove anything!

**Yuudai:** [Smug expression] Really? I think it does.

**Shinobu:** _I’LL MAKE YOU EAT YOUR WORDS!_

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Odd Edition]

**Yuudai:** What is it this time?

**Shinobu:** G-Give us actual evidence that I’m the c-culprit! You’ve proven n-nothing!

[OST: Objection -CROSS SWORD-]

**REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN**

Truth Bullets: Kenta’s Testimony | Plastic Wrapper | Dust | Kohaku’s Testimony

**Shinobu:** A-All of this is circumstantial at best!

SLASH!

**Shinobu:** You’ve come up with a plausible theory…

SLASH!

**Shinobu:** But you don’t have anything…

SLASH!

**Shinobu:** To prove it was me and not Kurosawa-kun!

SLASH!

**Shinobu:** It’s just a guess!

ADVANCE!

**Yuudai:** It’s not a guess! I have plenty of evidence to prove you killed Inoue-san…

**Yuudai:** And I just proved that Kurosawa-kun couldn’t have done everything that the culprit did!

**Shinobu:** You just proved that I could’ve snuck into my room…

SLASH!

**Shinobu:** Without getting caught!

SLASH!

**Shinobu:** But where’s your **_proof that I ever went to the kitchen_ ** in the first place!

SLASH!

**Shinobu:** If you can’t prove that…

SLASH!

**Shinobu:** Then you can’t say that I’m the culprit!

[SOLUTION: Refute “ **_proof that I ever went to the kitchen_ ** ” with **Plastic Wrapper** ]

**Yuudai:** ¡CORTA LA MIERDA!

**_BREAK!_ **

  
  


[OST: Class Trial Revival Edition]

**Yuudai:** [Pained] I’m sorry, Kawaguchi-kun, but I actually do have evidence that you went to the kitchen.

**Yuudai:** [Neutral expression] In the kitchen trash can, Rani-san and I found a plastic wrapper, which was covered in oil, and even had some blood on it.

**Aiko:** [Frown] How does that prove Shinobu-chi was even in the kitchen? It could be unrelated to the murder for all we know.

**Shinobu:** [Nods] Sh-She’s right! That evidence is totally b-bullshit!

**Kohaku:** [Pointing pen up] Think about it this way: Kawaguchi-kun has a habit of raiding the pantry every night. He used to do this with Inoue-san before she died. And this isn’t just any plastic wrapper...it’s got oil and blood all over it, which means...he went into the pantry...right after I…

**Yuudai:** [Pained] Yeah...basically, Kawaguchi-kun went to raid the pantry right before nighttime, and ran into Inoue-san. From there, well...you know…

**Shinobu:** [Snarls] A-Again, just a coincidence! There’s one thing you still can’t prove no matter how much nonsense you pull out of your ass! Bruises! If I fought with Inoue-san then where are my bruises?!

**Shinobu:** [Sweats profusely] You’d better be able to answer this, Yuudai-kun! Otherwise you’ll never be able to convict me!

**Shinobu:** [Desperately] I’ll never admit to something that isn’t true! [Pulls on hair] I! AM! NOT! THE! KILLER!

_It seems that Kawaguchi-kun is determined to avoid being voted as the culprit. No matter how much evidence and logic I present, he won’t give up. All I have to do is answer this final question...and then, we vote._

[OST: P.T.A]

**ARGUMENT ARMAMENT**

**Shinobu:** I’m not the culprit!

**Shinobu:** Why are you lying to everyone?!

**Shinobu:** This is all bullshit!

**Shinobu:** Do you want everyone to get executed?

**Yuudai:** _Of course not! But I can’t avoid the truth any longer._

[OST: HYPER P.T.A]

**Shinobu:** You have no proof!

**Shinobu:** Just a bullshit theory!

**Shinobu:** Don’t pin the blame on me!

**Shinobu:** Prove it!

**Yuudai:** _I have plenty of evidence; I wouldn’t accuse you if I couldn’t back it up!_

[OST: HYPER ULTRA P.T.A]

**Shinobu:** Just because it’s possible for me to be the culprit…

**Shinobu:** Doesn’t mean I’m guilty!

**Shinobu:** You’re just an idiot who knows nothing!

**Shinobu:** And now everyone is ganging up on me because of you!

**Yuudai:** _But it doesn’t make sense for anyone else to have done it based on what we know!_

**Shinobu:** Then answer this: if I fought with Inoue-san and won, where are my bruises?!

_With-------Up------Covered-----Makeup_

_ANSWER: Covered up with makeup_

**Yuudai:** THIS IS THE END!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Class Trial Future Edition]

  
  


**Yuudai:** [Neutral] The answer is quite simple, Kawaguchi-kun: you covered them up with makeup.

**Kenta:** [Frown with narrowed eyes] ...Mitsu, remind me to hide my cosmetics more thoroughly.

**Yuudai:** [Neutral expression] If you hadn’t testified earlier in the trial, Shimizu-kun, I might not have been able to look at your face and put two and two together. 

**Yuudai:** [Thoughtful expression] Normally, you wear makeup...but because you had to be woken up so abruptly to investigate this murder, you wouldn’t have had time to put it on. 

**Yuudai:** [Pained] But Kawaguchi-kun could’ve easily found your makeup and used it to cover his bruises up.

**Shinobu:** [Hugs arms to chest] No… [Eyes widen] Nonononononono…

**Megami:** [Serious expression] There’s only one thing we can really do at this point…

_Tsukima-san produced, from her pocket, a makeup wipe. She handed it to Ueno-kun, who took Kawaguchi-kun’s arms and wiped them down, revealing many large bruises all over them._

**Shinobu:** [Sweats nervously] N-No...This isn’t…

**Kohaku:** [Biting tip of pen] There’s also one thing I’d like to mention. I’ve been keeping an eye on everyone, and I noticed, during the trial, one particular behavior of yours that was quite peculiar. 

**Kohaku:** [Pointing pen up] Your usual nervous habit has you pulling on your hair, but during the trial, you instead held your arms close to your chest. That usually implies that you have something to hide, and now it’s clear what that was. 

**Kohaku:** [Pointing pen at Shinobu] Also, when you told me to give up and confess to killing Inoue-san, I perceived that you were projecting your own guilt onto me, the main suspect at the time. 

**Kohaku:** [Twirling pen] And on top of that, you seemed very eager to accuse other people when you were being accused, rather than simply wanting to prove your innocence.

**Akane:** So you already figured it out beforehand through psychology?

**Kohaku:** [Neutral expression] Sort of. I perceived that he might not have been as innocent as he wanted us to believe, but I depended on Oleastro-kun to actually provide the evidence.

**Kohaku:** Also, I wanted to speak up sooner regarding my suspicions, but I didn’t think anyone would believe me because I was being suspected at the time.

**Kohaku:** [Tired expression] So now, will you confess to your crime? It might make you feel a lot better to get that off of your chest.

**Shinobu:** [Nervous] I...that’s...No…

**Hoshiko:** [Looking upwards pensively] You know, there’s one thing that’s odd to me, Kawaguchi. I’m surprised that out of all the reasons that a scrawny guy like you could’ve given for why you couldn’t be the culprit… [Raises one eyebrow] ...you not being strong enough to move Inoue’s body on your own was not one of them.

**Shinobu:** [Nervous, clutching collar] O-Of course I’m not! Th-That sorta thing’s just a g-given! It goes w-without saying!

**Aiko:** [Head down, crying] I...I’m sorry, Shinobu-chi...but...that’s a...a lie.

_Satou-san’s hands tightly gripped the podium as she held her head down. The way she spoke was excruciatingly slow, like she was plucking each individual word out of her mouth with tweezers._

**Aiko:** [Pained expression] Yesterday in the kitchen, you told me that despite how you look, you actually have a decent amount of muscle mass, which allows you to burn more calories...and by extension, it means you’re stronger than you look. So...you very well _could_ have dragged Haruna-chi’s body through the secret passage.

**Akane:** [Frown] And speaking of the secret passage, most of us hadn’t even known it existed until Oleastro-kun brought it up. But you, Takeuchi-kun, and Shimizu-kun could have easily found out about it because I put you in charge of investigating the kitchen.

**Kazuko:** “So, Kawaguchi-kun really did kill Inoue-san?”

**Shinobu:** [Clutching neck] …

_Kawaguchi-kun doesn’t seem ready to admit it yet, but he’s not fighting it anymore._

**Yuudai:** [Serious expression] I’m absolutely certain of it. And just to further prove it, I’ll summarize the entire case from beginning to end...so there will be no doubt about it anymore…

[OST: Climactic Reasoning]

**CLOSING ARGUMENT**

_A. The evening meeting ends at 9:00_

_B. Megami, Yuudai, and Rin find Aiko locked up in the vault_

_C. On their way back to their room, Katsu overhears the culprit muttering something_

_D. Haruna takes the chloroform on the second day of captivity_

_E. The culprit accidentally pushes Haruna, causing her to trip and hit her head on the counter, dying instantly_

_F. Haruna leaves the kitchen and goes to the vault, taking a kitchen towel_

_G. The culprit cleans up the crime scene and moves Haruna’s body to the courtyard through the secret passage to hide the true scene of the crime_

_H. The culprit and Haruna get into a fight, knocking over an oil dispenser on accident in the process_

_I. The culprit goes back to their room, changes their clothes, and covers up their bruises with makeup_

_J. Kohaku and Haruna go to the kitchen to hide anything that could be used as a weapon_

_K. Haruna knocks out Aiko and takes a garrote before locking her in the vault_

_L. Akane, Katsu, and Megami discover Haruna’s body in the courtyard_

_M. Aiko goes to the vault to guard it_

_N. Rin notices that Aiko is missing and asks Katsu, Megami, and Yuudai to help him find her_

_O. Haruna goes back to the kitchen and runs into the culprit_

  
  
  
  


_SOLUTION: D, A, M, J, F, K, O, H, E, G, C, I, N, B, L_

**Yuudai:** Here’s how the case went down!

  
  


[OST: Climactic Return]

**CLIMAX REASONING**

**Yuudai:** This case started not with the culprit, but with the victim of this case, Haruna Inoue, the SHSL Rock Climber. On the second day of our captivity, she took the chloroform from the infirmary while investigating it with me and Sasaki-san.

**Yuudai:** Yesterday’s evening meeting ended early, at 9:00PM, after which Satou-san went to the vault to guard it while Inoue-san and Takeuchi-kun went to the kitchen to hide anything that could be used as a weapon.

**Yuudai:** Inoue-san then left the kitchen at around 9:40, taking the kitchen towel with her. Takeuchi-kun would have left around fifteen minutes later.

**Yuudai:** She went to the vault just as Shimizu-kun was going to the infirmary. She knocked out Satou-san, who was guarding the vault at the time, and unlocked the vault, taking a garrote, and locking Satou-san inside.

**Yuudai:** She immediately went back to the kitchen and ran into the culprit, who had just raided the pantry as they usually do. She attacked them, and they fought back.

**Yuudai:** At some point, one of them accidentally knocked over an oil dispenser in their scuffle, spilling it all over the floor. Then, the culprit shoved Inoue-san, and she slipped on the oil and hit her head on the counter, dying almost instantly from the blow to the head.

**Yuudai:** Realizing that they had just killed someone by accident, the culprit panicked and took various steps to try and cover up their crime, such as wiping the oil off the floor with the chloroformed kitchen towel, wiping the blood from the crime scene with paper towels, which they dumped down the sink drain, and disposing of the glass shards in the toilet of the girl’s bathroom, using Inoue-san’s e-handbook.

**Yuudai:** But most importantly, they dragged Inoue-san’s body through a secret passage that led to the courtyard, and left her there facedown so she wouldn’t track blood everywhere, trying to conceal the true scene of their crime.

**Yuudai:** However, the culprit accidentally left behind a bloody and oily plastic wrapper in the trash can, which would later come back to bite them.

**Yuudai:** On their way back to their room, they lamented about how they never should have trusted Inoue-san in the first place, which Ueno-kun just so happened to overhear while the two of us were training in the gym.

**Yuudai:** After entering their room, they changed their clothes and used their roommate’s makeup to hide the bruises they’d gotten from their fight with Inoue-san. Their roommate was completely unaware of any of this, because he was out cold after taking a dose of Zopiclone.

**Yuudai:** And...I’m terribly sorry, but the only one who could have been behind this tragic accident was you...Shinobu Kawaguchi, the SHSL Competitive Eater!

**_BREAK!_ **

[OST: Almost Hell Heaven]

**Yuudai:** [Pained] ...Is that right, Kawaguchi-kun?

**Shinobu:** [Shivering] N-No...Not again…

**Kohaku:** [Twirls pen with a curious expression] Oh? What an odd comment to make.

**Hoshiko:** [Cold expression] Are you finally going to tell us you did it, or are you just going to waste even more of our time?

**Shinobu:** [Solemn] ...I give up. I’m the culprit. I...killed Inoue-san.

**Monokitsu:** Yanno what this means, don’t ya~? Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit’s voting time, bitches!

**Megami:** [Shivers, face pale] Do we really have to vote Nobu-chan as the killer? It was an accident, and now you want us to k-kill him?!

**Monokitsu:** Make triple sure you vote for someone, cuz if you don’t, I’ll kill you, too! Can’t have any party poopers in my killing game! 

**Monokitsu:** Just pull the lever in front of you to make your selection. Then press the button next to it to cast your vote~!

**Hoshiko:** [Eyes closed, solemn expression] There’s nothing else we can do _but_ to vote. Don’t look so morose, we won the class trial.

_This...This doesn’t feel like a victory to me. Not only do we have to sentence our classmate to death for something that wasn’t even his fault, but the killing game’s going to go on even after he’s gone._

_A slot machine appeared on the screens way above us. The slots...were everyone’s faces._

**Monokitsu:** Who will be chosen as the blackened? Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one? What’s it gonna be? What’s it gonna beeee?!

_I wanted to gut that stupid fox where he sat. How fucking dare he find pleasure in our suffering!_

_Sasaki-san didn’t appear to have any qualms as she cast her vote, and neither did Hamasaki-kun. But everyone else hesitated as they slowly pulled the lever and casted their votes with shaky hands._

_Soon, it was down to me. I looked down at my podium. Besides my lever was a screen that showed my face with my name below it. I flicked the lever down once to reveal Himura-san’s face, then Tsukima-san’s...I cycled through everyone until I finally landed on Kawaguchi-kun._

_With a trembling finger, I pressed the button, bile rising up my throat as I did so._

_In the next moment, the slots in the slot machine on the screen began to spin. They spun and spun… Everyone’s faces were shown several times… Then, it slowed and, before we knew it, the slots stopped, all matching one face horizontally: Shinobu Kawaguchi. It started dinging as though we’d won -- hah, victory my ass -- and spewed out many coins._

_The word “GUILTY” flashed many times, confirming what we already knew…_

_We found the blackened._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Puzzler if you're reading this, I'm so fucking sorry.


	13. Chapter 1: Bloodbath Fever, Post-Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the trial for Haruna Inoue's murder.

##### POST-TRIAL

**CLASS TRIAL: ALL RISE!**

[OST: Weekly Despair Magazine]

**Monokitsu:** Fufufu~...At this point it kinda goes without saying, but you voted correctly! The culprit of this case is the one and only Shinobu Kawaguchi, the SHSL Competitive Eater!

**Monokitsu:** However, the voting was not unanimous. Twelve votes for Shinobu Kawaguchi, one vote for Yuudai Oleastro...and one vote for Kohaku Takeuchi!

**Yuudai:** [Surprised] What?

**Hoshiko:** [Folded arms, cold gaze] It’s clear that Kawaguchi voted for Oleastro. Surely he wouldn’t partake in his own sentencing.

**Shinobu:** [Nods] ...

**Akane:** [Raises one eyebrow] But who thought Takeuchi-kun was guilty?

**Rani:** [Frantic] Don’ look at me! I voted for Shinobu!

**Aiko:** [Furrowed eyebrows] You didn’t vote for yourself, did you, Kohaku-chi?

**Kohaku:** [Shakes head] I voted for Kawaguchi-kun.

_...Who didn’t believe in Takeuchi-kun’s innocence?_

**Mitsuko:** [Irritated expression] Is it really a huge fuckin’ deal, though? We already got the culprit right.

**Akane:** [Looking downwards pensively] It may not seem like a big deal for that reason, but I’d hate for there to be a rift of distrust amongst our group. And clearly one of us doesn't trust Takeuchi-kun at all.

**Hoshiko:** [Cold expression] Well clearly, that was never an option for us. Inoue had intended to kill for pretty much the entire time we’ve been here, and because of her, Kawaguchi ended up becoming a murderer.

[OST: All All Apologies]

**Shinobu:** [Dark expression] N-Not again…

**Kohaku:** [Twirls pen with a curious expression] You know, I’ve always wondered what you meant by that. You’ve said it before, and earlier in the trial, you spoke of the feeling of having blood on your hands that you never asked for. 

**Kohaku:** [Grim, bland smile] I’d come to the conclusion that you were projecting your own guilt onto me earlier, but this implies that you’ve had previous experience in...this regard.

**Shinobu:** [Looking down] ...N-Nothing gets past you, d-does it, Takeuchi-kun…

**Shinobu:** [Neutral expression] Yes. I...I-I’ve killed...someone before…

_What?! This is…_

**Aiko:** [Alarmed expression] Is this true, Shinobu-chi?

**Shinobu:** [Shivering] I-It was a few years ago...after a c-competition...It was...a similar k-killing to this one, a-actually.

**Shinobu:** He...He wasn’t even trying to k-kill me...but then...p-push came to shove...and...he was d-dead...at the bottom of the s-stairs...and my sister had to cover f-for me…

**Shinobu:** Miyako was a ch-chemist, and she could do a-anything, s-so she covered up the crime for me...

**Shinobu:** ...but all I d-did was give her trouble...

**Shinobu:** N-Nobody knew about what had happened...for such a l-long time…

**Shinobu:** [Grabbing head, crying] I-I still can’t get his blood off of my hands!

_For a few long moments, not a word was spoken. Not that any of us would know what to say to that anyway; even I, the master of languages, was speechless._

**Aiko:** [Looking to the side, solemn expression] Are we really doing the right thing here?

**Hoshiko:** [Neutral expression] Hm? What’s that mean, Satou?

**Aiko:** [Pained] I still don’t get it...why do we have to kill Shinobu-chi for something that he didn’t even mean to do?!

**Monokitsu:** That’s just the rules of the game! Don’t like it? Too bad!

**Mitsuko:** [Snarls] You’re fucking disgusting, you know that?

**Monokitsu:** Fufufufufu~...If only I cared about your opinion.

**Izumi:** [Neutral expression] ...Do you feel any remorse for what you did, Kawaguchi?

**Shinobu:** O-Of course! It’s n-not like I ever wanted to kill her…I...I panicked, and the Despair Toxin didn’t help.

**Izumi:** [Solemn nod] ...

**Akane:** [Horrified, hand covering mouth] How did this even happen? How did we not see this coming?

**Kohaku:** [Looking away, pensive] ...

**Shinobu:** I-I guess I should retell what happened f-from my perspective…

[Flashback]

**Haruna:** [Cheerful expression] Heya, Kawaguchi~!

**Shinobu:** [Surprised expression] Inoue-san? What a-are you doing here?

**Haruna:** [Grin] Just thought I might find you here; I wanted to chat with you for a bit!

**Shinobu:** [Smile] O-Of course…

**Haruna:** [Looking upwards pensively] ...Say, how easily do you forgive people for things?

**Shinobu:** [Thinking] U-Uh, kind of a strange question but...I’d say I-I’m a pretty forgiving person.

**Haruna:** [Solemn] I see… [Dark expression] ...Then I hope you can forgive me for what I’m about to do.

_The moment I turned around, she ran right at me, ready to strangle me with the garrote. I ran out of the way, but she wouldn’t let me escape the kitchen. I fought her back when she fought to keep me in._

**Shinobu:** [Horrified] Why are you doing this?!

**Haruna:** [Desperately] I can’t stand to stay in this shithole with this stupid Despair stuff for another minute! The walls will close in on all of us and we’re all gonna die here!

_It was for that reason that she fought with everything she had to kill me. And I, in turn, fought with everything I had to survive. I barely even noticed when I knocked down that oil dispenser until I gave Inoue-san one hard push. I don’t even think she saw her own death coming. I know I didn’t._

**Shinobu:** [Panicked] I-Inoue-san?!

_I checked for a pulse and got nothing._

_She hadn’t even gotten the chance to say her final words before I took her life away._

**Shinobu:** [Panicked] O-Oh God...what have I done?!

_I panicked. And even though I didn’t deserve to live after what I’d just done, I immediately began to clean up the crime scene and try to get away with it._

[End of Flashback]

**Shinobu:** A-And that’s what’s happened…

**Aiko:** [Horrified, crying] Oh...Shinobu-chi…

**Akane:** [Shocked] This is…

**Hoshiko:** [Cold glare] It’s one thing to accidentally kill someone, but you certainly didn’t _accidentally_ try to get us all killed, now did you?

**Rin:** [Frowns] He was just fighting for his life, like we all were.

**Hoshiko:** [Looking to the side, cold expression] I’m aware, but there’s a drastic difference. We’d only need to sacrifice one life in order to survive another day. He tried to sacrifice thirteen, not including the one he killed.

**Aiko:** [Angry, crying] It’s not like he meant to do anything! Don’t treat him like he’s a murderer!

**Hoshiko:** [Pointed gaze] You heard Monokitsu; he doesn’t care if it was an accident or not. A murder is a murder is a murder. I’d advise you to get that through your heads.

**Rani:** [Smug expression] Ouch, so C-O-L-D, Hoshiko-yogisha. No wonder Monokitsu likes ya so much.

**Hoshiko:** [Disgusted look] Make no mistake: I want nothing to do with that wretched offbrand Build-A-Bear.

**Monokitsu:** I’m not a bear, I’m a fox!

**Hoshiko:** [Glare] That’s why I called you offbrand, idiot.

**Monokitsu:** Hey now, is that any way to talk to the resident executioner here?

_For a moment, everyone was silent as we remembered what was to come next._

[OST: Moon on the Water]

**Monokitsu:** This has been real fun, but now it’s time for the grand finale!

**Aiko:** [Desperately] NO! You can’t!

**Shinobu:** [Solemn] I-It’s okay, Satou-san...I’m ready to face the consequences for my actions. 

**Shinobu:** [Sad smile] Everyone...don’t l-let this happen again, okay?

**Akane:** [Looking downwards] I’ll ensure that a tragedy like this never happens again under my watch.

**Kohaku:** [Nods]

**Shinobu:** [Broken smile] Now go ahead, Monokitsu. Bring out the chair, or the guillotine, or the firing squad. Whichever you prefer.

**Monokitsu:** [Tilted head; paw touching mouth] Fufufu~...I hate to interrupt this mushy pityfest, buuuuuuuut… you’ve got me all wrong, Kawaguchi-kun!

[OST: None]

**Monokitsu:** [Threatening; claws unsheathed] How fucking weak do you think I am?!

**Shinobu:** I-I am going to get e-executed...aren’t I?

**Monokitsu:** [Displaying black side] Well, duuuuuuuuuuuh! But, how do I put this? I guess you could say that I’ve got a flair for the dramatic~!

[OST: Buzzkill]

**Monokitsu:** Why shoot or hang or electrocute someone when you can toss them into a volcano, or run ‘em over with a fire truck, or launch them off into space?

**Monokitsu:** It’s so boring to do things the normal way!

**Shinobu:** [Desperate; pulling on ponytail] But- th-that-

**Rani:** [Confused glare] Th' FUCK are ya on ab--

**Shinobu:** [Broken down; tears rolling down face] I DON’T WANT TO DIE LIKE THAT!

**Monokitsu:** Mmm, tough shit, loser! Maybe you should've thought about that before you killed someone!

**Shinobu:** [Panicking] I-I didn’t mean to, i-it was an accide--!

**Monokitsu:** And since you were so eager for your punishment… I guess I have no choice but to start it as soon as I possibly can!

**Akane:** [Alarmed] You can’t!

**Monokitsu:** I’ve prepared a very special punishment for Shinobu Kawaguchi, the SHSL Competitive Eater!

**Megami:** [Horrified] N-No...this is…

**Monokitsu:** Let’s give it everything we got!

**Mitsuko:** [Snarls] You son of a bitch!

**Monokitsu:** [Banging gavel down] Iiiiiiiiiit’s PUNISHMENT TIME!

[OST: None]

**GAME OVER**

**SHINOBU KAWAGUCHI HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY.**

**COMMENCING PUNISHMENT.**

[OST: Punishment feat. Hell-icopter]

**The Right Tract to Despair**

**A large metal claw reached out of the wall and clamped around Shinobu’s neck. He immediately grabbed at his neck and threw an object right at my face as he was dragged to a hidden room, screaming inhumanly.**

**The screens above us flickered, and we were all drawn to the screens to watch what would go down next.**

**Shinobu stood in a room made almost entirely concrete, except for the ceiling, which was made of stainless steel. He looked around apprehensively for the weapon that would kill him. He heard a creak above him, and suddenly, a part of the ceiling broke off and collided straight towards him, taking the form of a spike!**

**Shinobu jumped to the side as the spike that fell from the ceiling crashed to the ground. And then, all on its own, it rose from the ground and retracted back into the ceiling. And then, it happened again. Spikes from the ceiling began to collide with the floor faster and faster, as Shinobu tried to dodge each one that came his way.**

**He slipped, and fell on his back to the ground as one spike pierced his foot and another pierced his hand. Shinobu slammed his eyes shut, too scared to look death in the face.**

**The spikes stabbed him as he screamed, writhing in pain. As he squirmed, the spikes grew faster and faster, hitting him more and more frequently, but deliberately missing his heart and head.**

**The spikes all retracted back into the ceiling, stained bright pink. Then, the floor’s incline increased from the back of the room, and Shinobu slid down the floor into a long red tube that led directly to a gigantic garbage disposal, the kind you’d find in a sink.**

**Shinobu fell out of the other side of the tube and directly into the garbage disposal. This time, he didn’t scream...**

**...He howled in sheer agony as he was fed to the garbage disposal, but even those howls faded as the only thing that could be heard was the endless grinding of the garbage disposal as it began to spit out blood and chunks of flesh, guts, and bone.**

**None of us could deny the gravity of what we had just seen. Shinobu Kawaguchi, the SHSL Competitive Eater, was dead.**

_The monitor shut off._

[OST: Trapped by the Ocean Scent]

_What...What the fuck?!_

**Mitsuko:** [Livid] WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THAT?!

**Aiko:** [sobbing] That was horrible! How could you kill him like that?!

**Akane:** [Losing all color in her face] That was sickening…

**Kazuko:** [shivering, hugging Aiko]

_Nobody else had the words for what we’d all just seen. Even Shimizu-kun and Tsukima-san, the most energetic and cheerful of us all, looked petrified with shock. And even Hamasaki-kun, Ueno-kun, and Sasaki-kun, the most stoic and least expressive people here, looked visibly disturbed._

**Monokitsu:** Fufufufufu~...The looks of despair etched into each of your faces...I’ll treasure this moment forever and ever~!

_I shook and shuddered at Monokitsu’s wretched laugh. But one of us was a lot more steady._

**Akane:** [Glare] Treasure this moment all you want. It’ll be the last time you ever get to do something as awful as this.

**Monokitsu:** Oh? Are you sure about that~?

**Akane:** [Determined expression] There’s no way we’ll ever let a travesty such as this happen again. And I _will_ find out who’s controlling you, and I _will_ kill them myself.

**Akane:** I won’t let you get away with this!

**Monokitsu:** Fufufu~...you are quite brave, Himura-san, brave indeed. Or maybe you’re just foolish to think that you could ever hope to best me…

**Akane:** [Disgusted glare] Tsk…

[OST: Despair-Syndrome]

_I picked up the object that Kawaguchi-kun had thrown at me. It was a locket, slightly opened. When I looked at it more closely, I noticed that inside was a picture of a young woman with bright orange hair. His sister, perhaps?_

_...Someone’s gonna have to tell her what happened to Kawaguchi-kun when we get out of here..._

**Hoshiko:** [Stern expression] ...No point in lingering any longer, is there?

_Sasaki-san left for the elevator right then and there._

_The others slowly followed, and even I walked towards the elevator, giving Monokitsu a single quick glance for some unknown reason._

_My mind wandered as the elevator rode all the way back up, but I found myself walking not towards my room, but to the courtyard._

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

_When I entered the courtyard, I noticed two things that stuck out to me. Firstly, Inoue-san’s body was nowhere to be found. It had completely vanished, as though it were never there in the first place._

_Secondly, I was not alone._

_Takeuchi-kun turned around when he heard me enter. His lips twisted into a faint smile._

**Kohaku:** [Faint smile] Ah, Oleastro-kun, just the person I wanted to see.

**Yuudai:** [Looking away, wringing hands] Oh, hey, Takeuchi-kun. Um, sorry for...earlier in the trial.

**Kohaku:** [Furrowed eyebrows] Why are you sorry?

**Yuudai:** [Frown] I think I went too far in suspecting you. If we'd voted for you as the culprit, we all would have died.

**Kohaku:** [Shakes head] No need to worry about that. In fact, _I_ should be apologizing to _you_. I let you all think that I killed her.

**Yuudai:** [Scrutinizing gaze] ...Speaking of that, why didn’t you defend yourself when you were being accused? That probably would have saved us a lot of time and made things a lot easier.

**Kohaku:** [Looking downwards pensively] …

**Kohaku:** [Looking downwards pensively] …

[OST: Desire for Execution]

**Kohaku:** [Grim smile] I figured you might ask me that. I’ve wondered the same thing myself. 

**Kohaku:** But if I had to give a reason, I’d say… [Looks away with slight grimace] ...I blamed myself. For letting Inoue-san and Kawaguchi-kun die.

**Yuudai:** [Troubled expression] It wasn’t your fault. None of us saw any of this coming.

**Kohaku:** [Clenches fist with open frown] I should’ve. I should’ve known that something was off about Inoue-san, and I should’ve done something. If I’d realized sooner how she felt, I might have been able to prevent all of this. They’d still be with us.

**Yuudai:** [Looks away with open frown] I don’t know what else to say, Takeuchi-kun. It really wasn’t your fault that Inoue-san died.

**Kohaku:** [Looks away with slight grimace] ...I couldn’t stop thinking about it...what would’ve happened if I’d stayed there for ten more minutes.

**Yuudai:** [Serious expression] You probably would have either been murdered yourself, or you might have actually become the culprit, neither of which would be very good.

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression] ...I suppose you make a fair point. I just haven’t really been thinking rationally about what just happened.

**Yuudai:** [Grimace] Takeuchi-kun, I don’t think _anyone_ is thinking very rationally about all this. You should know better than anyone that this is...well…fucked up.

**Kohaku:** [Nods] Yeah…

[OST: Welcome to Despair Academy]

**Kohaku:** [Scrutinizing gaze] ...Say...why did you lie during the trial?

**Yuudai:** [Eyes widen] You...knew I was lying?

**Kohaku:** [Slight smirk] Of course. You may not have noticed it yourself, but you have a certain habit that comes up whenever you tell a lie. Your antenna points in the opposite direction.

_My hand instinctively went to my hair when he said that._

**Yuudai:** [Surprised expression] Wow, I didn’t even realize that.

**Kohaku:** [Twirls pen with bright expression] Everyone has those kinds of habits. You just need to look closely at them to notice them.

**Yuudai:** [Amazed expression] Interesting…

**Kohaku:** [Bland smile] That doesn’t answer the question, though. Why lie for someone you barely know?

**Yuudai:** [Scratches back of neck] Oh, that… [Serious expression] I just knew it wasn’t you.

**Kohaku:** [Narrows eyes] You had no evidence to prove it for sure, just a theory that turned out to be right.

**Yuudai:** [Frown] Look, I just knew, okay! Chalk it up to intuition, I guess. I felt like if we voted for you we’d die. And… [Looking away] I didn’t want to believe that you would ever kill someone. And the fact that you didn’t even bother trying to defend yourself was just kinda sad.

**Kohaku:** [Thoughtful expression] Ah, I see…

**Yuudai:** [Intense expression] You get it, right? Otherwise you wouldn’t have lied to protect Hamasaki-kun!

**Kohaku:** [Bland smile] Heh...Well...I was absolutely certain that Hamasaki-kun couldn’t be the culprit. I was able to perceive Kawaguchi-kun was guilty, the same way I knew that you were lying about having evidence to prove my innocence. I can read people like books. It's what I do. [Slight smirk] But what I was surprised about is that you actually caught my lie.

**Yuudai:** [Sheepish smile] I wish I could say it was because I psychoanalyzed you or something...but really, it was just my intuition.

**Kohaku:** [Twirls pen with curious expression] I find it quite fascinating. I’d love to analyze that further, if you’ll allow me.

**Yuudai:** [Grin] Sure, why not?

**Kohaku:** [Slight smile] Thank you…

**Kohaku:** [Blank expression, gripping notebook] ...I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be talking all that much about myself. I’m not the only one suffering through all of this. How do you feel about it?

_He’s doing that thing where he feels guilty about the focus of the conversation being about him. I distinctly remember him saying “my emotions are unimportant in the grand scheme of things”. Though I guess if he wants to help me sort out my own emotions about this, then far be it from me to prevent him from doing his job._

**Yuudai:** [Looking upwards pensively] ...Do you think we did the right thing?

**Kohaku:** [Pointing pen at Yuudai] Are you talking about voting for Kawaguchi-kun?

**Yuudai:** [Grimace] Yeah...It was a complete accident, and yet he was killed so horrifically...A part of me wishes I had thrown the vote.

**Kohaku:** [Neutral expression] If you hadn’t voted for someone, you would’ve been killed.

**Yuudai:** [Looking downwards, grimacing] I know, but...I guess I’m feeling the same way as you, in a sense.

**Kohaku:** [Nods] I understand. [Sympathetic expression] Survivors’ guilt is very difficult and painful to deal with. But remember what Kawaguchi-kun said shortly before his passing. He wanted us to not let another murder happen again. If nothing else, you can at least try to live out his final wish.

**Yuudai:** Do you really think it’s possible?

**Kohaku:** [Slight smile] Well...we’ll never know if we don’t try, right?

**Yuudai:** [Neutral] I can’t argue with that. It’s too early to give up hope, I think.

**Kohaku:** [Nods] Agreed. Now then, it’s almost 4AM. It might do you good to get some sleep.

**Kohaku:** [Stern expression] And one more thing...Sometimes the answer you’ve been looking for was in front of you all along. Don’t overthink what's obvious.

**Yuudai:** [Sheepish smile] That’s...a very weird way to say goodnight, but okay. Sleep well, Takeuchi-kun, don’t die.

**Kohaku:** [Slight smile] Of course. You too, Oleastro-kun.

_Takeuchi-kun passed by me and left the courtyard. I, on the other hand, stayed behind for just a couple more minutes. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of camouflage near the training equipment. My hand tightened around the locket I was still holding as I approached it._

_It was...Inoue-san’s vest._

**Yuudai:** [Eyes widen] What’s this doing here?

_Her body was taken away, and the courtyard had been cleaned up as though it had never been there to begin with. But now, a single piece of evidence that proved she’d existed remained. And without a second thought, I grabbed it and folded it up before leaving the courtyard._

_God, my sleep schedule’s gonna be fucked._

_That’s what I thought as I unlocked the door to my room. As I entered, I saw Ueno-kun’s eyes glance in my direction as he lay atop his bed, but he didn’t make a single sound or move._

_I placed Kawaguchi-kun’s locket and Inoue-san’s vest on my nightstand. And at that moment, the shock of what had recently happened turned to pure sickness. Rather than going straight to bed, I immediately ran to the bathroom and threw up. The stench of the blood, the sound of the grinder, and the sight of Kawaguchi-kun’s remains...all of it was seared into my mind forever._

_After I cleaned myself up, I staggered back to my bed and collapsed on top of it. I couldn’t stop myself from sobbing into my pillow, so I buried my face into it and cried until my stomach hurt too much to do so anymore._

_Eventually, I drifted off to sleep, my head buzzing with static noise as the day’s deaths replayed in my mind again._

END OF CHAPTER ONE: BLOODBATH FEVER

SURVIVING STUDENTS: 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Chapter 1 is complete! Overall, not a bad start to this story, though there are things I'd like to improve on in Chapter 2, such as expanding the Daily Life segment a little and making the next case better.
> 
> The title, Bloodbath Fever, is a direct reference to Genocider Syo and her modus operandi. It's actually meant to be ironic because the murder this chapter was completely accidental.
> 
> Originally, the culprit and victim were supposed to be switched. Haruna was always going to plot a murder but I thought the case would be more interesting and compelling if Shinobu fought back and ended up killing her. Neither of them were ever planned to survive past Chapter 1.
> 
> When planning this case I didn't actually plan to sus as many people as I ended up sussing. Aside from the actual culprit, Kohaku was supposed to be the only other suspect. However, I realized that a lot of other characters were kinda sus and I thought it would make sense to bring them up as suspects.
> 
> I hope to start Chapter 2 around mid-April. While you wait for Chapter 2 Part 1 (the next update), you can vote for FTEs for Chapter 2 Part 2 (the update after that). You can pick two characters to vote for. https://www.strawpoll.me/42735525


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